News Releases

No. 85/06
October 4, 2006

REPORT CONCLUDES NO PROGRESS BY US ON EXTENSION OF VISA WAIVER TO EU 25

The European Commission's Second Report on visa waiver non-reciprocity shows reciprocity has now been achieved with a number of countries. In the case of the United States, the opening of a dialogue is encouraging, but there is no tangible progress for the moment towards visa exemption.

European Commission Vice President Franco Frattini, Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, underlined the significance of the common EU visa policy: "This entails full solidarity with the new Member States who had to abolish the visa obligation for third countries of the positive list but have not received full reciprocity in return. The new reciprocity mechanism has already proven effective as several third countries have granted full reciprocity to all Member States as was evidenced in the first report. The second reciprocity report shows further progress."

The main conclusion as far as the United States is concerned is that the situation is one of no improvement. The US does not seem willing to engage in a result-oriented dialogue at short notice.

In contrast, visa reciprocity has now also been achieved with Uruguay, Costa Rica and Paraguay. Furthermore, Malaysia has taken the administrative arrangements to restore visa reciprocity and Brunei has officially announced its intentions to restore it. Brazil is committed to ensure full visa reciprocity, but this will require a specific agreement with the European Community. The European Commission will soon request from the Council of the EU the authorization to negotiate such an agreement.

While recognizing that we are still far from obtaining visa reciprocity from Canada and Australia, the Commission has registered some progress in the last contacts with them. This progress consists in a clearer framework for result-oriented dialogue and an increased transparency in the criteria to meet by the EU Member States to be granted the visa reciprocity. In addition, Canada has lifted the visa requirement for Estonia already.

Based on future developments with the third countries concerned, the Commission will reflect on how full reciprocity for all Member States can be achieved within the shortest possible time. Consequently, the Commission intends to submit a new report before 31 March 2007.

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