Austria blocked the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, while the Netherlands supported Romania's bid but opposed Bulgaria's.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters in Tirana this week that The Hague is not saying a final "no" to hosting Bulgaria and Romania. Meanwhile, representatives of Austria stated that they do not support the joining of the two countries.
Johansson expressed his regrets about Bulgaria and Romania and addressed the citizens of both countries, stressing that they deserve to be part of the Schengen area and enjoy the strong support of almost all member states, as well as the European Commission. According to her, the topic will remain a priority for the Swedish presidency of the EU Council, which begins on January 1.