The European Commission confirmed on Monday 3 June that it had received a notification from the Dutch government to suspend Albania's visa liberalization, which allows non-Member State citizens to travel to Schengen and the EU without visas for a three-month period.
This notification, a first for the Commission, follows a vote by the Dutch Parliament in April (see EUROPE 12238/32).
Visa liberalization can be suspended under a new specific mechanism created in 2013 and strengthened in 2017 by the EU Council. The Commission said it would now analyse this request for suspension very carefully, as its decision cannot be taken “lightly”, a spokesperson said.
The Commission must inform the EU Council and the European Parliament of this notification and study the criteria justifying this suspension. It must, if circumstances so warrant, act within one month of receipt of a Member State's notification.
Suspension of visa liberalization, the EU Council recalls in a statement, may be triggered by a notification from a Member State or the Commission. In the event of notification by a simple majority of Member States, the Commission will have to adopt an implementing decision temporarily suspending the exemption from the visa requirement for citizens of the non-Member State concerned for a nine-month period. During this period, the Commission shall establish an in-depth dialogue with the non-Member State concerned to remedy the circumstances in question.
If the circumstances persist, the Commission shall adopt a delegated act temporarily suspending the visa liberalization for an additional 18-month period. The grounds for suspension were broadened in 2017 and include a decrease in cooperation on readmission, a considerable increase in the rate of refusal of readmission applications, including for non-Member State citizens in transit, and a substantial increase of the risks to public policy or internal security in Member States.
According to the Dutch Parliament, which initiated the process, there are six times more Albanians present on Dutch territory than the officially declared number. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)