Salvatore Iacolino (PPE). – (IT) Mr President, Commissioner, Schengen is certainly an heirloom of civilisation of the highest value.

Today, we must welcome an important result, which is that we consider the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania to be among those who can benefit from this fundamental instrument. The Schengen area should therefore be consolidated and strengthened further. If ever there were concrete evidence of European civilisation, this is it: the right to European citizenship finds concrete expression precisely within the Schengen area.

The Schengen acquis is, therefore, a fundamental instrument for the legal economy, and I am convinced that on 24 June this year, the Council will take important points for reflection from what is intended to be a strengthening of trust and collaboration between Member States.

Of course, the evaluation mechanisms must proceed from being intergovernmental systems to being Union systems, as recently announced by Mrs Malmström, just as the governance of Schengen certainly produces increased cooperation and dynamic reinforcement, as well as modernisation, transparency and dialogue.

The requirements have been met by Bulgaria and Romania and I congratulate Mr Coelho on having combined freedom of movement with the security of citizens in his balanced report, which has been adopted by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.