Third report on the post-visa liberalisation monitoring for the Western Balkan countries in accordance with the Commission statement of 8 November 2010

Since 19 December 2009, citizens of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, holding a biometric passport have enjoyed visa-free travel to the EU Member States, in accordance with Regulation 539/2001. Under the same conditions the citizens of Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina have enjoyed visa-free travel to the EU Member States since 15 December 2010.

The decisions to grant visa-free travel to citizens of these Western Balkan countries were based on thorough assessment of the progress made in the areas identified in the roadmaps for the visa liberalisation dialogues (document security, border management, asylum, migration, fight against organised crime and corruption, and protection of fundamental rights). The visa-free regime is the most tangible benefit for the citizens of the Western Balkan countries in the process of their integration into the EU, and a very strong incentive for accelerating reforms in the area of justice and home affairs.

In its statement presented on 8 November 2010 at the Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Commission explicitly underlined the importance of a continued effective implementation of all measures and reforms undertaken by the Western Balkan countries as part of their obligations for the visa dialogue. In order to assess the consistency and sustainability of the relevant reforms, the Commission has established a post-visa liberalisation monitoring mechanism, which covers all areas of the visa liberalisation roadmaps and allows the Commission to scrutinise the progress which has been made.

The purposes of this report are (1) to present the actions undertaken under the post-visa liberalisation monitoring mechanism, following the first and second Commission Staff Working Papers on the post visa liberalisation monitoring issued in May and December 2011, (2) to assess the progress made in the relevant Western Balkan countries after the last assessment (December 2011), and (3) to identify the next steps and the concrete actions to be taken.

EurActiv, 15.10.12: Serbia offers to pay costs of 'fake' asylum-seekers http://www.euractiv.com/enlargement/serbia-pay-avoid-return-visa-reg-news-515405

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