12 minutes agoEU Council declared about visa liberalisation for Kosovo
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to recommend the Committee for Civil Freedoms, Justice and Home Affairs for visa liberalisation for Kosovo. During the speech at the EP, European Parliament visa rapporteur Tanja Fajon said Kosovo citizens deserve visa liberalisation as Kosovo has fulfilled all criteria. Already, after [...]
Already, after the completion of this procedure, the working group will meet on September 17th. And when negotiations are approached within the working group, then the issue passes to the level of the interior ministers of the European Union, who decide on this through voting.
Officials from the European Union's Council for Indexline have said they cannot give a date when the EU Council of Ministers will convene.
“Visa liberalisation is a legislative file that is covered by the EU Council. We cannot give the date when the vote will take place in this council”, the EU Council's official response reported.
On the other hand, they have indicated that there is no specific deadline for when the issue of visa liberalisation will enter the agenda for Kosovo.
The legislative procedures for visa liberalisation are these:
European Commission Presents a Proposal to European Council, Parliament
Council and Parliament approve a legislative proposal, whether in first reading or second reading
If the two institutions fail to reach an agreement after second reading, a reconciliation committee meets
If the text agreed on by the reconciliation committee is acceptable to both institutions in third reading, the legislative act is approved
If a legislative proposal is rejected at any stage of the procedure, or Parliament and the Council cannot reach a compromise, the proposal is not approved and the procedure is finalised.
The vote used at the council, however, is the qualified majority, where about 80% of EU legislation is adopted with this procedure.
When the Council votes on a proposal from the Commission or the Union for Foreign Policy and Security High Representative, the qualified majority is achieved if two conditions are met. One is that 55% of member states vote in favour or when the proposal is supported by member states representing at least 65% of the EU's total population.
While, visa deadlock could occur when at least four Council members representing more than 35% of the EU population.
The European Commission on July 18th of this year decided that Kosovo has met all criteria and recommended the European Union liberalise visas for Kosovo citizensIt is.
