Croatia adopts euro, entering passport-free Schengen area

As of midnight on Sunday, 1 January, Croatia adopted the euro as its currency and entered the Schengen area.

The country’s former currency, the kuna, will co-exist with the euro for transitional period of 14 days.

Croatia is the 27th member of the Schengen area. Individuals can freely travel within countries in the zone without border controls.

“This is a great achievement for Croatia. A symbol of its deep-rooted attachment to the EU, and a symbolic moment for the euro area as a whole,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

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