The European Parliament adopted by 560 votes to 117, with 13 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Belarus on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation.
Following the recommendation of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.
The purpose of the Agreement is to establish rapid and effective procedures for the identification and safe and orderly return of persons who do not, or no longer, fulfil the conditions for entry to, presence in, or residence on the territory of Belarus or a Member State of the European Union, and to facilitate the transit of such persons in a spirit of cooperation.
Negotiations with Belarus were formally opened in Brussels on 30 January 2014 and resulted in an agreement initialled on 17 June 2019. In the meantime, Belarus, the European Union and seven participating Member States (Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Finland and Latvia) signed a Joint Declaration on a Mobility Partnership on 13 October 2016.
The visa facilitation agreement and the readmission agreement operate in tandem. Both agreements were signed on 8 January 2020
With regard to the Readmission Agreement, it should be noted that the readmission commitments have been drawn up on the basis of complete reciprocity. Throughout the Agreement it is stressed that its application must be such as to guarantee compliance with human rights and relevant international instruments applicable to the parties.
The terms of the Agreement include the obligation to readmit nationals who do not, or who no longer, fulfil the conditions in force for entry to, presence in, or residence on, the territory of a Member State. The rules on readmission shall also apply to persons who surrendered their nationality of Belarus since entering the territory of a Member State, persons who hold a residence permit or a valid visa issued by Belarus, and those who illegally entered the territory of a Member State directly after having stayed on, or transited through, the territory of Belarus.