The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI) on 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 and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (Kosovo).
Parliament recommended the European Parliament to adopt its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal.
This proposal aims to amend Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 by transferring Kosovo from Annex I, Part 2 (visa-required list) to Annex II, Part 4 (visa-free list).
In the explanatory statement accompanying the report, it is recalled that the European Parliament has been a strong advocate and supporter of Kosovo and its European perspective, including with visa liberalisation process and has continuously called both on the Kosovar authorities to cooperate and fulfil required benchmarks, and on the Commission to help facilitate and accelerate the process. Visa-free regime presents one of the most tangible and concrete achievements for the country’s European perspective and it brings about the realisation of free movement as one of the fundamental principles of the European projects.