Communication: State of play and possible ways forward as regards the situation of non-reciprocity with certain third countries in the area of visa policy

On 12 April 2016, the Commission presented a Communication on the state of play and the possible ways forward as regards the situation of non-reciprocity with certain third countries in the area of visa policy. In that Communication it was noted that with the active support of the Commission, the vast majority of the non-reciprocity cases had been solved. However, if the third country concerned had not lifted the visa requirement by 12 April 2016, Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 obliges the Commission to adopt a delegated act suspending for 12 months the visa waiver for nationals of that third country.

The Regulation also requires that the Commission takes into account the consequences of the suspension of the visa waiver for the external relations of the EU and its Member States. The April 2016 Communication assessed the consequences and impacts of the suspension of the visa waiver for EU citizens and businesses as well as nationals of the third countries concerned. In that Communication the Commission also invited the European Parliament and the Council to discuss the most appropriate way forward.

The Commission presented three follow-up Communications in July and December 2016, and in May 2017. Besides reporting on the progress achieved, the May 2017 Communication also defined the position of the Commission following the European Parliament's Resolution of 2 March 2017 calling on the Commission to adopt the required delegated act within two months from the date of adoption of the Resolution at the latest.

In that Communication the Commission considered that particularly in view of the progress achieved during the previous 12 months and the ongoing work, the adoption of a delegated act temporarily suspending the exemption from the visa requirement for nationals of Canada and the United States would have been counterproductive at that moment, and it would not have served the objective of achieving visa-free travel for all EU citizens. At the same time, the Commission committed to continue working closely with Canada, the United States and the Member States concerned to accelerate progress towards full visa reciprocity, and to report on the developments by the end of December 2017.

This Communication takes stock of progress made towards achieving full visa reciprocity with Canada and the United States, evaluating the developments over the past seven months, and also providing the Commission's assessment on the effectiveness of the reciprocity mechanism.

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 20/12/2017: Visa reciprocity: Political and diplomatic efforts continue to yield results http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-5314_en.htm

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