Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement

In accordance with Article 62(2)(b)(i) of the Treaty Establishing the European Community, the Council adopted Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders (the so-called negative list, Annex I) and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (the so-called positive list, Annex II).

The determination of those third countries whose nationals are subject to the visa requirement, and those exempt from it, is governed by a considered, case-by-case assessment of a variety of criteria relating inter alia to illegal immigration, public policy and security, and to the European Union's external relations with third countries, consideration also being given to the implications of regional coherence and reciprocity. In view of the criteria of public order and illegal immigration, particular attention should also be paid to the security of travel documents issued by the third countries concerned.

As the criteria set out in Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 can evolve over time in relation to third countries, the composition of the negative and positive lists should be reviewed at regular intervals.

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)650: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:650:FIN

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