Recommendations to improve visa facilitations drafted by sub-group at annaual meeting

The visa facilitation sub-group has come up to the following conclusion: EaP can serve as the important complementary element of bilateral relations between partner countries and EU in the sphere of freedom of movement liberalisation by creating the necessary regional platform for countries with similar interests and problems.

The sub-group participants support the idea to continue experts’ research of EaP Visa Liberalisation Index that includes independent assessment of the fulfilment of criteria for visa liberalisation by all six EaP countries. This unique tool allows to check and compare the progress made by each state in each area and is currently being produced by the sub-group. The index is available here.

Apart from this, experts of visa sub-group suggested to improve the current regulations of visa facilitation provided by the EU Visa Code and Visa Facilitation Agreement between the EU and third countries. In this regards, the following recommendations were developed to the Consular missions of EU Member States and the EU Commission:

The Consular mission should more actively apply the existent flexibility of the Schengen acquis in order to issue a large number of multiple-entry/long-term visas. Long-term visas for a minimum of one year should become the usual norm, not the exception, as it follows from the existing Schengen regulation
The Consulates should avoid issuing single-entry or short-term visas in cases when the applicant has previously used, in the legitimate way, since currently, numerous cases of issuing single-entry or short-term visas to those who previously held long-term visas are registered.
Until the relevant changes to the Schengen acquis are made, in terms of the Schengen consular cooperation the countries should agree on a comprehensive list of documents required from the applicant and unify such a list to the maximum extent
Electronic copies of documents, especially of those sent from abroad, should be accepted as originals as it does not contradict the existing Schengen acquis and does not increase the risk of accepting forged documents
Obligation to inform applicants about the possibility to issue long-term visas, visa fee waivers and possibility to appeal against a negative decision, reduce its waiting time and harmonize the appeal procedure between the EU countries.

A complete list of recommendations of the sub-groups which was also sent to the European Institutions is available here.