EU Visa-Free Travel March 03, 2014 Parliament backs visa-free travel for citizens of 16 ACP countries, UAE, Colombia and Peru Plenary sessions [27-02-2014 - 12:52] Citizens from 16 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, the United Arab Emirates, Colombia and Peru should be able to travel to the EU without a visa, under the amended EU visa regulation approved by Parliament on Thursday and already informally agreed with the Council. The visa waivers shall apply from the date of entry into force of an agreement on visa exemption to be concluded with the EU. The 2001 visa regulation lists non-EU countries whose nationals need a visa to travel to the EUs border-free Schengen area (the “negative list”) and those whose nationals do not need a visa for this purpose (the “positive list”). The agreement, adopted by 523 votes in favour, 41 against and 13 abstentions, has a double significance: on the one hand, we take a step forward towards enhanced cooperation with these countries, and on the other, we send a positive message to citizens by clarifying the criteria for including third countries in the positive list, said rapporteur Mariya Gabriel (EPP, BG), who led the negotiations for Parliament. Nationals from 16 ACP countries exempted from visa requirements Nationals of 16 ACP countries which are parties to the Cotonou Agreement with the EU will be able to travel visa-free to the EU. These countries are Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, as envisaged in the initial Commission proposal. Parliament’s suggestion that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also be included in the positive list was taken up by the Council of Ministers and the European Commission and included in the agreement.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 07:59:15 +0000
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