Brussels, 05/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Students' Forum (AEGEE) has welcomed Ukraine's decision to remove visa obligations temporarily for citizens of the European Union and Switzerland (see EUROPE 8920). “This is an important step on the journey towards eventual visa freedom throughout the continent, which is one of our long-term goals”, said AEGEE in a press release, which points out that mobility is a key element in the development of cooperation and peace between European countries. The Forum criticises what it sees as excessively strict rules on visas in recent years, which have prevented its members from eastern and south-eastern Europe from taking part in many of its events. “We feel that this step brings us closer to the principles of the Bologna Process”, AEGEE states, calling at the same time on the European Union to make visa procedures easier for all countries of the European continent.