Regional integration in the light of Schengen enlargement: a comparative study of the Hungarian-Romanian and Hungarian-Croatian border zones

Abstract

This study aims to demonstrate the potential social, economic, and spatial-structural changes that may arise from the accession of Croatia (1 January 2023) and Romania (1 January 2025) to the Schengen area. Particular attention is paid to the differing geographical, social and economic characteristics of the Hungarian–Romanian and Hungarian–Croatian border regions, as well as to the distinct integration motivations. Together, these factors help to outline future directions for cross-border cooperation.

The introduction outlines the overall significance of Schengen integration within the European Union, highlighting that local conditions along each border section can significantly influence the effectiveness of integration. This is followed by a summary of the most important geographical, social and economic characteristics of the Hungarian–Romanian and Hungarian–Croatian border regions. As part of this analysis, a benchmarking method is employed to compare and evaluate the two border regions in five dimensions: border population weight, urban attraction, infrastructure, border traffic and cultural components. The novelty of the research lies in illustrating the various dimensions of cross-border integration by comparing two Schengen area accessions occurring at different times, thereby offering a reference framework that may also guide studies of other European border regions.