Romania and Bulgaria will become full members of the Schengen Area that allows free movement of 420 million people between 29 mostly European Union countries without border checks from Jan. 1, the EU said Thursday.

"It is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania as full Schengen members," said Hungary's Minister for Home Affairs Sándor Pintér. “Lifting checks on persons at the internal land borders with and between those member states has been a top priority for the Hungarian presidency,

The European Council concluded on December 10 that Bulgaria and Romania fulfill the essential criteria for complete accession to the Schengen Area.