The European Parliament adopted by 531 votes to 7, with 34 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the non-recognition of Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions.
Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure by amending the proposal as follows:
Refusal of Russian passports from occupied regions
Russian travel documents issued in the regions or territories of Ukraine that are occupied by Russia or in the breakaway territories of Georgia which, at the time of entry into force of the decision, are not under the control of the Georgian government, and Russian travel documents issued to persons residing there, will not be accepted as valid travel documents for the purpose of issuing a visa or crossing external borders.
List of travel documents
The Commission will draw up, with the assistance of the Member States, a list of travel documents that will not be accepted, including the dates from which these travel documents started to be issued. It will also adopt an implementing act containing this list. This implementing act will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and the list will be integrated into the list of travel documents established under Decision 1105/2011/EU on the list of travel documents entitling their holders to cross external borders and to which a visa may be affixed and on the establishment of a mechanism for drawing up this list.
Derogations, preservation of the right of asylum
A Russian travel document may be accepted: (i) if the holder was a Russian citizen before the relevant date indicated in the Commission implementing act or if the holder is a descendant of such a Russian citizen; (ii) if the holder was a minor or legally incapacitate at the time of the issuance of the travel document.
Persons fleeing the conflict in Ukraine will still be able to enter the EU on humanitarian grounds. The decision will not affect the EU acquis on asylum, in particular the right to apply for international protection.