Brussels, 13/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Council adopted Commission negotiation mandates on visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Albania (with which country the EU already has a readmission agreement), Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Fyrom), Montenegro and Serbia. "This step reflects the EU's commitment in favour of the promotion of contact between people of the Western Balkans and the Union", said Franco Frattini and Olli Rehn. In the framework of this mandate on visas for countries belonging to the Schengen zone (the EU of 25, with the exception of the United Kingdom and Ireland) plus Norway and Iceland, the Commission will negotiate a reduction in costs for the issuing of visas for all citizens of the Western Balkans. For certain categories of people, which remain to be determined, it will be a broader case of simplifying the documents they must produce in support of their application, to allow them to obtain visas with longer periods of validity and even to afford them a total exemption from visa costs. The agreements on readmissions will establish clear obligations and procedures to be applied by the authorities on both sides to determine when and how the repatriation of people illegally resident on their territory should be organised. Mr Frattini, the Commissioner with responsibility for Justice, Liberty and Security, proposes that a first round of negotiations should be held in Brussels on 30 November, with a view to concluding the negotiations before the end of June 2007. (ab)