EC to propose end of visa regime

The EU will recommend the abolition of visas for Serbian citizens in 2010, it was stated after a meeting between Serbian and EC officials in Brussels. This meeting, where the EC presented a report on Serbia’s progress in fulfilling the criteria on the Road Map towards visa liberalization, brings to an end the second phase of visa liberalization dialogue, the Serbian government’s European Integration Office stated. EC to propose end of visa regime According to a statement, on the basis of results and the positions of EU member-states, it is the intention of Justice and Internal Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn that the EC should, by the end of July, propose the lifting of the visa regime for Serbia starting January 1, 2010. Director of the European Integration Office Milica Delevic told B92 that the second phase of dialogue was complete. “The commission is content with the results achieved, and content with the efforts of the Serbian administration as a whole. That was a really big task for us all,” Delevic said. “I am happy to say that, based on the results thus far, and based on the stance of the member-states with whom consultations are continuing, the intention of Commissioners Barrot and Rehn is to have the EC send a proposal on lifting the visa regime to the EU Council by the end of July,” she said. Justice Ministry Secretary of State Slobodan Homen said that there had been little talk on a method for issuing passports to people living in Kosovo. “We talked about the general completion of all criteria at the meeting. There was no special attention paid to any one problem. What is important is that the EC stressed that it would continue working with the Serbian government in monitoring the implementation of laws because these laws are good for Serbia, and are not just related to visa abolition,” he said. “What is important is that there is a clear understanding that we’ve completed all the obligations from the Road Map, and that we can genuinely expect Serbia to find herself on the Schengen white list after 20 years, on January 1, 2010,” Homen said. The document under discussion today was drawn up in May after the EC expert team’s visit to Serbia. The EC is expected to take a draft decision on visa liberalization for Serbia on the basis of that report. None of the sizable Serbian contingent in Brussels was available for comment on their expectations from the meeting. The delegation includes officials from the Interior and Justice Ministries, and the European Integration Office. Earlier, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn held a meeting, after which Rehn stated that 2009 would be the year for abolition of visas for all states meeting the conditions from the road map. The commissioner expects the EC to officially recommend scrapping the visa regime by the summer holidays, which begin in Brussels on August 1. He stressed there a few technical matters still to be addressed. Tanja Miscevic, the former director of the European Integration Office, is sure that today’s technical talks in Brussels are probably the last such before the EC gives the green light to begin the process of approving a visa-free regime with Serbia. “I should point out that after the report presented by the EC ten days ago, a few technical elements remain that the Serbian side needs to work on some more in order for the evaluation to be completely positive,“ said Miscevic. “I get the impression that they concern issues like networking border crossings, issuing passports, security in issuing passports, added guarantees that need to be given,“ she said. Miscevic stresses that no decisions will be taken at today’s meeting, nor, it seems likely, at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Strasbourg on Monday, where the issue of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia will be up for discussion. “The issue of visa liberalization will not be opened for debate at the meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday—it will be opened as an issue closely tied to the issue of the Western Balkans,“ she says. “I think this debate on technical elements of further steps in fulfilling the road map for Serbia comes at an opportune time. We heard Mr. Rehn, who himself said that this procedure would be opened by the EC before the summer holidays,“ she noted. Should Serbia accede to the Schengen white list, her citizens will be able to travel freely round the EU starting next year. Milica Delevic (FoNet, archive)

EC to propose end of visa regime

According to a statement, on the basis of results and the positions of EU member-states, it is the intention of Justice and Internal Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn that the EC should, by the end of July, propose the lifting of the visa regime for Serbia starting January 1, 2010.

Director of the European Integration Office Milica Delević told B92 that the second phase of dialogue was complete.

“The commission is content with the results achieved, and content with the efforts of the Serbian administration as a whole. That was a really big task for us all,” Delević said.

“I am happy to say that, based on the results thus far, and based on the stance of the member-states with whom consultations are continuing, the intention of Commissioners Barrot and Rehn is to have the EC send a proposal on lifting the visa regime to the EU Council by the end of July,” she said.

Justice Ministry Secretary of State Slobodan Homen said that there had been little talk on a method for issuing passports to people living in Kosovo.

“We talked about the general completion of all criteria at the meeting. There was no special attention paid to any one problem. What is important is that the EC stressed that it would continue working with the Serbian government in monitoring the implementation of laws because these laws are good for Serbia, and are not just related to visa abolition,” he said.

“What is important is that there is a clear understanding that we’ve completed all the obligations from the Road Map, and that we can genuinely expect Serbia to find herself on the Schengen white list after 20 years, on January 1, 2010,” Homen said.

The document under discussion today was drawn up in May after the EC expert team’s visit to Serbia.

The EC is expected to take a draft decision on visa liberalization for Serbia on the basis of that report.

None of the sizable Serbian contingent in Brussels was available for comment on their expectations from the meeting.

The delegation includes officials from the Interior and Justice Ministries, and the European Integration Office.

Earlier, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn held a meeting, after which Rehn stated that 2009 would be the year for abolition of visas for all states meeting the conditions from the road map.

The commissioner expects the EC to officially recommend scrapping the visa regime by the summer holidays, which begin in Brussels on August 1. He stressed there a few technical matters still to be addressed.

Tanja Miščević, the former director of the European Integration Office, is sure that today’s technical talks in Brussels are probably the last such before the EC gives the green light to begin the process of approving a visa-free regime with Serbia.

“I should point out that after the report presented by the EC ten days ago, a few technical elements remain that the Serbian side needs to work on some more in order for the evaluation to be completely positive,“ said Miščević.

“I get the impression that they concern issues like networking border crossings, issuing passports, security in issuing passports, added guarantees that need to be given,“ she said.

Miščević stresses that no decisions will be taken at today’s meeting, nor, it seems likely, at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Strasbourg on Monday, where the issue of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia will be up for discussion.

“The issue of visa liberalization will not be opened for debate at the meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday—it will be opened as an issue closely tied to the issue of the Western Balkans,“ she says.

“I think this debate on technical elements of further steps in fulfilling the road map for Serbia comes at an opportune time. We heard Mr. Rehn, who himself said that this procedure would be opened by the EC before the summer holidays,“ she noted.

Should Serbia accede to the Schengen white list, her citizens will be able to travel freely round the EU starting next year.