De Commissie opent onderhandelingen met Servië over visa (en)
European Commission Vice President Franco Frattini i , in charge of Justice, Freedom and Security, launched a dialogue on visa free travel with Serbia in Belgrade today. This is a tangible and concrete proof of the EU's commitment to Serbia's European future. The aim of this dialogue is to give clear indications to the Serbia authorities on the measures that need to be taken to grant visa free travel to all Serbian citizens.
Since 1 January 2008, Serbian citizens enjoy the benefits of a visa facilitation agreement with the European Union. This agreement provides for easier access to visas for a broad range of categories of citizens ranging from students, sportsmen and women, cultural workers, journalists, people visiting family members living in the EU, people in need of medical treatment, economic operators working with EU companies, etc.
Today the time came to take the next step and open a dialogue with the Serbia authorities which should lead to a visa free regime to all Serbian citizens.
"I am happy to be here in Belgrade today, where we take this important step together towards our common European future. I welcome the launch of the dialogue on visa free travel which should open the doors of the EU to all citizens of Serbia. I hope this is good news to all Serbs, but in particular to the younger generation in a country where 70% of the young people have never travelled abroad." - said Vice President Frattini at the opening ceremony of the dialogue on visa free travel.
In today's meeting Serbia and the Commission have discussed on the conduct, organisation and content of the visa liberalisation dialogue.
Visa liberalisation is one of the objectives of the interim Political Agreement on cooperation the EU invited Serbia to sign on 7 February.
The EU will continue to assist Serbia politically and financially to fulfil the conditions for visa liberalisation.
Background
The Council of the European Union on 28 January 2008 welcomed the intention of the European Commission to launch visa dialogue with Serbia and all other countries in the region and expressed its readiness to further discuss this issue, based on the Commission's forthcoming Communication on the Western Balkans. In the Communication it is foreseen that roadmaps will be developed setting clear benchmarks to be met by all the countries in the region in order to gradually advance towards visa liberalisation. This would enable the Council and the Commission to closely monitor progress in necessary reforms.
Furthermore, visa liberalisation is one of the objectives of the political agreement on cooperation the EU invited Serbia to sign on 7 February.
Serbian citizens are from 1 January 2008 already enjoying the benefits of the visa facilitation regime which sets out uniformed visa application and issuing procedures for a broad range of categories of citizens ranging from students, sportsmen and women, cultural workers, journalists, people visiting family members living in the EU, people in need of medical treatment, economic operators working with EU companies, etc. The visa facilitation agreement also foresees a lower cost of visas (€35 instead of €60), visas which will allow for multiple entries in the EU with a validity up to five years, visas free of charge for children and pensioners, etc.
To find out more about Vice President Frattini's work please see his website http://www.ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/frattini/index_en.htm