On Thursday, 4 April, the European Parliament approved in plenary session the legislation allowing British citizens, after Brexit with or without an exit agreement, to travel to the EU without a visa for a period of three months (renewable every six months).
The report by Sergei Stanishev (S&D, Bulgaria) was adopted by 502 votes to 81 with 29 abstentions. The report had been controversial with the former rapporteur, Claude Moraes (S&D, UK), who opposed the EU Council's vision on Gibraltar, described as a "British colony" (see EUROPE 12226/12).
The regime will only be valid if the United Kingdom grants reciprocity to Europeans. Before the vote, several British MEPs, notably from UKIP, had requested a postponement, followed by a debate and further amendments at the next plenary session at the end of April, but this was rejected by the European Parliament.
Several British MEPs such as Claude Moraes or Daniel Dalton (ECR) had in any case voted against this agreement because of Gibraltar. The regulation will be published in the EU's Official Journal by 12 April, the date of a possible exit of the UK from the EU. When asked about the controversy over Gibraltar, the European Commission immediately considered the joint final text of the Parliament and the EU Council to be “acceptable”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)