Members of the Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) adopted their position on Monday 3 December on the new EU rules on short-term visas (up to 90 days over a 180-day period), in line with the mandate given to the EU Council last June (see EUROPE 12045).
The report defended by Spain's Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (S&D) was adopted by 27 votes to 15 with 4 abstentions. It provides for an increase in visa fees from €60 to €80, as decided by the Council (exempting children under 12 and students) and for the possibility of submitting visa applications as early as 9 months before the planned trip, as opposed to 6 months before the trip as requested by the Council.
The Civil Liberties Committee also asks that travellers be able to apply for a visa at the consulate of another EU Member State if the responsible consulate is neither present nor represented in a given third country or if it is more than 500 km from their place of residence. Other facilities will be provided for artists and professional athletes touring the EU, the committee explains.
Unlike the EU Council, MEPs wanted to highlight a "positive" relationship between visa policies and third countries' efforts on the readmission of illegal immigrants by proposing a set of levers with visa fees, decision times following an application or the validity period of multiple-entry visas. They could be adapted if a third country demonstrates " sufficient” or, on the contrary, "insufficient” cooperation in the field of readmission.
The European Commission itself had proposed to use the visa policy to put pressure on readmission, but had kept a negative reference (see EUROPE 11981). The Council had also opted for a negative approach and ruled out the possibility of rewarding countries with the visa policy who play the game to take back their nationals. The Parliament still has to validate the agreement in plenary before negotiations can be opened with Member States. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)