Commissie lanceert dialoog met Albanië over visumliberalisering (en)
European Commission Vice President Franco Frattini , in charge of Justice, Freedom and Security, launched a dialogue on visa liberalisation with Albania in Tirana today. The aim of this dialogue is to give clear indications to the Albanian authorities on the measures that need to be taken before visa free travel can be granted to all Albanian citizens.
"This is a tangible and concrete proof of the EU's commitment to Albania's European future", said Vice President Frattini at the opening ceremony of the dialogue on visa liberalisation.
Since 1 January 2008, Albanian citizens enjoy the benefits of a visa facilitation agreement with the European Union i. This agreement provides for easier access to visas for a broad range of categories of Albanian citizens including students, sportsmen and women, cultural workers, journalists, people visiting family members living in the EU, people in need of medical treatment, and economic operators working with EU companies.
In today's meeting, the Slovenian Presidency of the European Union and the Commission i have taken the next step and opened a dialogue with the Albanian authorities which should eventually lead to visa free travel for all Albanian citizens.
The EU will continue to assist Albania 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 a visa liberalisation dialogue with all Western Balkan countries and expressed its readiness to further discuss this issue, based on the Commission's Communication on the Western Balkans of 5 March 2008. For facilitating the identification of key elements, the whole process will be based on detailed roadmaps setting clear benchmarks to be met by each of 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.
From the first of January 2008, Albanian citizens are already enjoying the benefits of the visa facilitation regime which sets out simplified visa application and issuing procedures for a broad range of categories of citizens. 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 of up to five years, as well as visas free of charge for children and pensioners.
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