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France will "always be among" the states that support Romania's accession to the Schengen area, said the French ambassador to Bucharest, Laurence Auer, on Monday, during a press conference.
"We have considerably improved the entire system related to asylum and migration, because we believe that Romania provides a mission to protect the external border of the Union and that it is in the collective interest of the EU that this border is secured through Schengen means, including Frontex," the ambassador declared.
According to Auer, France, during the French Presidency of the European Union, advanced the Schengen file, revised the evaluation rules, as well as the Border Code, the EURODAC regulation, in the idea that this will guarantee for all member states the consolidation and effectiveness of the Schengen system.
"For us, it was also a positive element, meant to allow the extension of the Schengen system in three states: Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. It is a support that we have given to the Romanian state in recent months and which was also expressed by the president Macron," said Laurence Auer.
Currently, according to her, the Romanian authorities manage the external borders "perfectly".
"There are two reasons for the support granted by France for Romania's accession to the Schengen area. It is a political support, expressed by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in June. It is also a technical support, because we consolidated Schengen and because, during the crisis, unity and border management are elements of European cohesion, which we want to see. We want Romania in the Schengen system, as Romania also wants," she said.
"We will continue to make every effort for Romania's accession to the Schengen area," she added.
