The European Union’s executive backed Ukraine and Georgia’s bid for visa-free access to the bloc on Friday, opening the way to more than 40 million people to potentially travel visa-free to the bloc, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The European Union’s executive backed Ukraine and Georgia’s bid for visa-free access to the bloc on Friday, opening the way to more than 40 million people to potentially travel visa-free to the bloc, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The European Commission said both countries had carried out the reforms they promised to enact to win Brussels’ backing and they planned to make the formal legal recommendation in early 2016. It will then be for EU governments and the European Parliament to sign off.
With some EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warning that the EU document-free Schengen travel zone is under threat, diplomats warn there may be far greater caution about expanding visa-free travel despite Brussels’ backing.
"The Commission will present in early 2016 legislative proposals to the Council and the European parliament to lift visa requirements for Georgian and Ukrainian citizens holding a biometric passport," the European Union's executive branch, said in a statement.
"The Commission recommends visa liberalisation for Georgia, Kosovo and Ukraine . I call on EU governments in the Council to take a speedy decision for these three countries," Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told a news conference after the EU summit in Brussels, DailyMail noticed.
Ukraine’s visa-free bid has been one of the top goals of President Petro Poroshenko’s government, which has had to tackle a major economic and financial crisis and a bloody conflict in the east with pro-Russian separatists.
On Georgia, the commission gave a clear bill of health, saying the country had “undertaken all the required reforms” needed for the EU.
The commission also published on Friday its overview of Kosovo’s progress toward meeting its visa-free bid commitments.
The EU said Kosovo must still complete action in several areas—including ensuring its judicial system is well enough staffed and effective in prosecuting organized crime and corruption, as well as ensuring independent oversight in the awards of public contracts, The Wall Street Journal added.
