PURPOSE: to allow Ukrainian nationals to be exempt from the requirement to hold a visa when travelling in EU Member States.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2017/850 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 (Ukraine).
CONTENT: the Regulation amends Council Regulation No 539/2001, transferring Ukraine from Annex I (country whose nationals must be in possession of a visa to enter the Schengen area) to Annex II (countries whose nationals are exempt from visa). It therefore provides for a visa waiver for Ukrainian nationals travelling to the EU for short stays of 90 days within any 180-day period.
That visa waiver should apply only to holders of biometric passports issued by Ukraine in line with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The Regulation stated that Ukraine has met all the benchmarks set out in the visa liberalisation action plan presented to the Ukrainian Government in November 2010, and therefore fulfils the relevant criteria for its citizens to be exempted from the visa requirement when travelling to the territory of Member States.
The Commission will monitor Ukraine's continuous fulfilment of these criteria, particularly with regard to the fight against organised crime and corruption.
The Regulation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis. It will not apply in the case of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 11.6.2017