Brussels, 19/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The EU and Russia have agreed on an approach and a methodology for jointly examining the next steps to be taken to move towards scrapping the visa requirement. The two sides agreed to draw up a detailed list of “common technical and administrative steps” to be taken to pave the way for relaxing visa requirements in the future. The agreement was announced by Belgian Justice Minister Stefaan De Clerck and EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmström after the EU-Russia Cooperation Council meeting in Brussels on Friday 19 November 2010, attended by President Medvedev's Special Envoy on JHA issues, Alexander Konovalov. At the last EU-Russia summit in June 2010 (see EUROPE 10150), the leaders instructed their experts to work on the common steps but did not give any date for the scrapping of visas. Russia says it is prepared to scrap visas “tomorrow” but Europeans are in less of a hurry, wanting to ensure proper security conditions for the issuing of passports, the management of borders and readmission are met by Moscow before considering such a move. A visa facilitation agreement is already in place. Friday's Cooperation Council also discussed the fight against terror and drug trafficking (particularly drugs from Afghanistan) and future cooperation between the EU and Russia (negations are already underway on a future Cooperation Agreement). “We are doing quite well in terms of cooperation on readmission and police cooperation, although we have the potential to go further”, Konovalov told reporters. (H.B./transl.fl)