Enlargement of the European Union and "morally imperative", which reflected the desire of the EU to admit these countries as members, even though they were less developed than the Western European countries. Following this Romania and Bulgaria, though were deemed initially as not fully ready by the Commission to join in 2004, acceded nevertheless on 1 January 2007. These, like the countries joining in 2004, faced a series of restrictions as to their citizens not fully enjoying working rights on the territory of some of the older EU members. Bulgaria and Romania are not yet members of the Schengen area; however, their citizens can travel
Brazil–European Union relations Brazil–European Union relations Brazil and the European Union established diplomatic relations in 1960. The European Union and Brazil have close historical, cultural, economic and political ties. At the 1st EU-Brazil summit, in 2007, Brazil entered in a strategic partnership with the European Union, strengthening their ties. This new relationship places Brazil high on the EU’s political map. The present relationship is governed by the EC-Brazil Framework Cooperation Agreement (1992), EU-Mercosul Framework Cooperation Agreement (1995) and the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (2004). The EU is currently seeking a free trade agreement with Mercosur, the regional trade bloc of which