The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home
Affairs adopted the report by Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG) the 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.
The committee recommended that the European
Parliament’s position adopted at first reading, following the
ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal
as follows:
- United Arab Emirates (UAE): given that the UAE fulfil the conditions laid down
in the regulation for visa waiver to the same extent as the
countries which are already mentioned in the text of the
regulation, Members called for this country to be added to the list
laid down in Annex II of the Regulation – the positive
list;
- Peru and Colombia: to
ensure regional coherence with other countries in this geographical
area, Members called for the positive list to include Peru and
Colombia;
- Determining criteria for the composition of the
lists: a new Article has been added
stipulating that the determination of the third countries whose
nationals are subject to, or exempt from, the visa requirement
shall be made on the basis of a considered, case-by-case
assessment of a variety of criteria relating, inter alia, to
irregular immigration, public policy and security, and the
Union's external relations with the relevant third
countries, including, in particular, respect of human rights
and fundamental freedoms. Consideration shall also be given to the
implications of regional coherence and
reciprocity.
- Information to the European Parliament: Members requested the Commission to inform it on a
regular basis about the situation with regard to the negotiations
of bilateral agreements for visa exemptions, as well as about
whether third countries whose nationals benefit from an exemption
from the visa requirement continue to meet the criteria which led
to that exemption. The Commission shall present, at least annually,
a report to the European Parliament and to the Council summarising
its activities and findings in that regard.