Brussels, 20/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 20 October, the European Commission noted progress that is more than doubtful when it comes to visa reciprocity with third countries. The fifth report on visa reciprocity shows that, although several countries, such as Japan and Australia, have indeed made progress, there is grave concern about the fact that Canada and the United States still refuse visa-free access to their territory of millions of EU citizens.
Main progress. Three countries - Japan, Panama and Singapore - now apply full visa reciprocity with the European Union. In Japan, the visa requirement for Romanian citizens has been temporarily lifted from 1 September 2009 and 31 December 2011. Since September 2008, Panama no longer has a visa requirement on EU nationals for a 90-day visit. In its report, the Commission notes that progress has also been made with Australia. On 27 October 2008, Canberra brought in the “e-Visitors”' system, thus allowing citizens of all EU member state and associate Schengen countries to go to Australia visa-free. The Commission will nonetheless continue to monitor the situation as a number of requests have still to be processed manually.
Lack-lustre progress. The Commission also notes progress with the United States, which agreed, at the end of 2008, to incorporate the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovakia and Malta in its Visa Waiver Programme (VWP). However, five countries are still not included in the VWP: Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland. Furthermore, the Commission has concluded that the Electronic System of Travel Authorisation (ESTA) set up by the United States cannot be considered as tantamount to the Schengen visa application process as defined in the US Federal Register. Once the final rule on ESTA is published in the US Federal Register, the Commission will issue a final assessment taking into account any possible changes. Nonetheless, a new Travel Promotion Act currently examined by the US Congress causes the Commission great concern. This project provides for a $10 tax to be paid upon entering the United States (EUROPE 999). This is considered a “step backward” for transatlantic mobility and is even “counterproductive” to the envisaged purpose of promoting tourism, the Commission says. A specific report on this should be made by the Commission to determine whether this new tax can be considered as a disguised reintroduction of a visa. Another bone of contention concerns HIV/AIDS travellers. Although Americans have stated they would withdraw the HIV reference from the list of medical examinations that passengers must undergo to travel to the United States, travellers concerned are still not admitted under the VWP. The United States continues to impose a visa refusal rate not exceeding 3% (contrary to the 10% foreseen) which prevents certain countries from qualifying within the VWP.
No progress. The Commission notes that “no progress” has been made on visa reciprocity with three countries: Brazil, Brunei Darussalam and Canada. With Brazil, the Commission recently held a further series of talks resulting in a draft agreement on short stay visa waiver for holders of ordinary passports. Agreement is still awaited concerning holders of diplomatic and service passports. With Brunei Darussalam, all member states enjoy 30-day visa waiver, with the possibility of extending this to 90 days. Discussions are underway to seek to bring full reciprocity back. As for Canada, the visa obligation is still maintained for Romanian and Bulgarian nationals. The report considers, however, that Ottawa's reintroduction, in July, of the visa requirement for Czech citizens is a step backward, which now compels the Commission to threaten Canada with sanctions (see other article). The new report on visa reciprocity is due by 30 June 2010. (B.C./transl.jl)