The European Parliament adopted by 634 votes to 48, with 4 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 facilitation of the issuance of visas.
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 facilitate, on the basis of reciprocity, the issuance of visas for an intended stay of no more than 90 days during any period of 180 days to citizens of the Union and Belarus.
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 importance of the fundamental principles governing cooperation between the Parties and of the obligations and responsibilities, including respect for human rights and democratic principles, arising from the relevant international instruments to which they are bound is underlined in the preamble to the Agreement.
The Parties may suspend the Agreement in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, in particular in case of violation or misuse of any provision of the Agreement or for human rights and democracy considerations.