Croatia can join border-free Schengen area, EU governments say

FILE PHOTO: European flags are diplayed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France November 24, 2021. Julien Warnand/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union governments agreed on Thursday for Croatia to join the bloc's passport-free Schengen travel area after Zagreb convinced Brussels that it was able to effectively manage its section of the bloc's external borders.

The step for Croatia, which became an EU member in 2013 and also wants to join the single-currency euro zone, has long been a sensitive issue due to migration.