At the stroke of the New Year on 01JAN 2023, Croatia fully joined the Schengen Area and the Eurozone. The country has adopted the euro as its currency and it has also joined the Schengen Zone, which now consists of 27 member countries, allowing for passport-free travel and eliminating many border measures.
As reported by CTV News, the adoption of the euro makes travelling and doing business easier, removing additional currency exchanges for travellers looking to enjoy a visit to Croatia. The country joined the EU in 2013, but to adopt the euro the country had to fulfil a set of economic conditions. According to a press release from the European Union Commission, the euro and Croatia's former currency, the kuna, will be used alongside each other for two weeks while the country slowly withdraws the kuna from circulation.
As reported by Schengen Visa Info, Croatia started applying parts of the Schengen rules and legislations, known as "Schengen Acquis," also in 2013, including rules related to police cooperation, external borders control, and the use of the Schengen Information System.
As of 01JAN 2023, internal land and sea borders between Croatia and other Schengen Zone countries have been removed. Internal air borders will be lifted as of 26MAR 2024 to align the with the summer/winter time schedule of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
"We opened our doors to borderless Europe. This goes beyond eliminating border controls, it is the final affirmation of our European identity," said Croatian interior minister Davor Bozinovic.
"This marks an important milestone in the history of Croatia, of the euro and Schengen areas and of the EU as a whole," said the European Union Commission in a statement.
As reported by Schengen Visa Info, the addition of Croatia brings the Schengen Area to 27 Member States, 23 of which are also EU countries. The Eurozone now consists of 19 EU Member States sharing the euro as their common currency.
