Press Release: Commission recommends exempting Romanian citizens from visa requirements as from 2002

In a report adopted on 29 June 2001 the European Commission recommended that Romanian citizens should be exempted from the visa obligation from 1 January 2002. This implies the fulfilment by the Romanian authorities of a number of commitments relating to the issues mentioned in the report. A Regulation of the EU Council of Ministers (539/2001 of 15 March 2001) includes Romania among the countries whose nationals are exempted from the visa obligation when entering EU Member States. However, the Regulation also stipulates that this exemption will not enter into force as regards Romania until the Council of Ministers has decided so at a later stage on the basis of a report from the Commission. The Commission has now adopted this report, which gives a positive account of the achievements Romania has attained to date and of the commitments it has taken on illegal immigration and illegal residence.