EU Proposes Stricter Visa Rules to Combat Abuse of Visa-Free Travel

The European Commission has put forth a proposal to tighten visa suspension rules and enhance the monitoring of visa-free countries.

This is in response to the misuse of visa-free travel in Europe. The European Commission, in a statement, outlines the various challenges that have prompted this proposal. These challenges include irregular arrivals, the exploitation of investor citizenship programs in visa-free countries, and hybrid threats that undermine the security and unity of the European Union.

The European Commission acknowledges the significant role visa-free travel plays in fostering connections as well as enabling stronger business ties between the EU and its partner countries. It further aims to maintain this accomplishment while extending it to other nations. Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President promoting European lifestyle, emphasizes the importance of maintaining vigilance to ensure the continual efficacy of visa-free travel. The EU's visa suspension mechanism serves as a tool to temporarily halt visa-free travel for citizens of a third country in the event of a sudden and significant increase in irregular migration or security risks.

The motive behind making visa suspension rules stricter is to simplify the procedure and enhance the prompt activation of the mechanism when visa-free travel violations are observed. Under the proposed changes, the current requirement for the Commission to inform the European Parliament and the Council of its intention to trigger the mechanism at least two months in advance would be reduced to one month. The Commission also aims to broaden the reasons for triggering the mechanism. For instance, if a third country fails to cooperate with the EU on the repatriation of irregular migrants, the mechanism could be activated.

The Commission is recommending an augmentation in data collection on security risks and irregular immigration procedures, coupled with frequent assessments of visa-exempted nations in a bid to beef up supervision. The suggestion additionally includes establishing a new pre-emptive warning setup designed to flag any likelihood of trouble before it reaches the level requiring visas to be suspended. The EU's visa-free travel system provides significant advantages for EU citizens and citizens of third countries alike. It facilitates travel and connections between individuals, ultimately stimulating trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.

The proposal demonstrates the EU's genuine concern regarding the exploitation of visa-free travel.