Dutch proposals over Baltic visas ‘finding little EU support’

Date: 04/07/02

DUTCH moves to resolve the question of what visa regime will apply to Russia's Baltic enclave Kaliningrad once its neighbours enter the Union are gaining little support from other EU countries, insiders say.

The Hague is seeking to defuse the tension which has arisen between Brussels and Moscow over President Vladimir Putin's insistence on free movement of people and goods between Kaliningrad and Poland and Lithuania after their EU accession.

Until now EU negotiators have suggested such a deal would be impossible under the 1985 Schengen agreement on border controls. Yet a new proposal from the Netherlands suggests there may be ways of applying Schengen less rigidly. It is believed their plan suggests that travel documents other than the normal visas could be issued to people from Kaliningrad venturing into the Union.

Officials say the initial response from the Council of Ministers working group that discussed the plan was tepid. 'It did not gather great enthusiasm from the majority of member states,' said one. A spokesman for the Dutch EU embassy said his government wished to explore the scope for flexibility in the Union's existing body of law and policies, the acquis communautaire. 'Like all member states, we want to stay within the acquis,' the spokesman added. 'That's a precondition for us.'

Last month's EU summit in Seville gave the Commission the task of drafting a blueprint for breaking the impasse over Kaliningrad. This is due to be completed in time for the Brussels summit in October.

Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Kassiyanov indicated on Tuesday (2 July) that his government was keen to overcome the remaining hurdles. 'We expect that the mutually-acceptable solutions of the problem will be found soon,' he said. 'Nobody wants the broadening of the EU to be accompanied with problems. Russia does not want this either.'

Dutch moves to resolve the question of what visa regime will apply to Russia's Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad once its neighbours enter the European Union are gaining little support from other EU countries, insiders say.