On Thursday 25 June, the Council of the European Union decided on the temporary suspension of several provisions relating to the issuance of visas for Somali nationals.
This decision follows an assessment report by the European Commission, which deems Mogadishu’s level of cooperation on the readmission of its citizens staying irregularly on EU territory to be “insufficient”.
In practical terms, Member States will no longer be able to issue multiple-entry visas to Somali applicants or exempt them from providing all the required supporting documents. The waiver of visa fees for holders of diplomatic or service passports will also be removed. Lastly, the standard time limit for processing applications will increase from 15 to 45 calendar days.
The restriction comes against a backdrop of tougher EU migration diplomacy, reflected in the recent comprehensive visa strategy (see EUROPE 13797/10), the New Pact on Migration and Asylum (see EUROPE 13887/8) and the forthcoming Returns regulation (see EUROPE 13890/13).
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, has repeatedly expressed the desire to use visas as a “bargaining lever” to encourage third countries to cooperate on migration.
Although no end date has been set, the EU Council is insisting on the temporary nature of this measure, specifying that the European Commission “will continue to assess any progress made” with a view to possibly lifting the sanctions. (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)