Back in 2008, when the nationals of twelve EU countries were subject
to the visa requirement to travel to the US, the Commission warned that
it may force American diplomats to apply for visas to travel to the
European Union.
At that time, nationals of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia were excluded from the US Visa Waiver Programme, which allows visa-free travel.
Washington has been refusing to grant visa-free access to US territory on a bloc-wide basis, saying it had to first ensure that each individual country fulfils its stringent security requirements.
At that time, EU officials have accused the US of attempting to undermine the Union's common visa policy and force individual countries to agree to additional security measures that are in violation with Union rules on aviation security and data protection.
The citizens of most EU countries travel without visas to a list of foreign countries, listed in annex II of Council Regulation No 539/2001.
But the nationals of some new EU member states still need a visa to travel to countries such as the United States, Canada or Australia.
Next Steps to be taken by EU
At that time, nationals of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia were excluded from the US Visa Waiver Programme, which allows visa-free travel.
Washington has been refusing to grant visa-free access to US territory on a bloc-wide basis, saying it had to first ensure that each individual country fulfils its stringent security requirements.
At that time, EU officials have accused the US of attempting to undermine the Union's common visa policy and force individual countries to agree to additional security measures that are in violation with Union rules on aviation security and data protection.
The citizens of most EU countries travel without visas to a list of foreign countries, listed in annex II of Council Regulation No 539/2001.
But the nationals of some new EU member states still need a visa to travel to countries such as the United States, Canada or Australia.
Next Steps to be taken by EU
- 9 Feb.: Deadline for the EU countries who are still under visa requirement to notify the Commission on their situation;
- March: EU countries can ask the Commission that the EU suspends the visa exemption for certain categories of US nationals;
- June: At the latest six months after publication of the regulation, the Commission may decide that the suspension of the visa obligation should take effect.
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