13 minutes agoREL: Visa Decision soon, entry into force in November 2023
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)EU member states at the visa working group meeting have approached positions about a compromise, under which the decision on visa liberalisation for Kosovo would be adopted on November 1, 2023, when the implementation of the European Information System and Travel License [...] will begin.
As Radio Europe free of diplomatic sources learns, it has been the compromise between France's demand for the provision of visa liberalisation to begin implementing the ETIAS, and the opposition of many other countries not to connect. ETIAS was last mentioned, but the date was also.
The states that have rejected the link with ETIAS have argued this with the fact that that that system may not be ready even on November 1st of 2023, which would further delay the entry into force of visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Therefore, according to the interpretation of some diplomats, the new formula will allow space for liberalisation to enter into force even if implementation of the E system is again delayed TIAS.
The Czech presidency of the European Union now has to prepare a new draft proposal, which will be introduced in the silent procedure at the Council level of the working group. If no state opposes the new text until a certain time, possibly until mid-week, then this file will be handed over for decision to ambassadors of member states in the Council, the body known as Career.
Then there would be formal trialogs with the European Parliament and the Commission, in order to finalise the whole decision.
The visa processing group at the European Union Council has discussed Kosovo for the second time today, visa liberalisation. The first discussion was held on 13 October, when most EU member states have supported visa liberalisation for Kosovo. France, however, has demanded that entry into force of visa liberalisation be linked to functionalisation of the travel system E. TIAS.
This digital system aims to make the identity of visitors entering the EU from outside the free movement area, Schengen. He had to start operating in 2022, but the date was postponed several times and now mentioned in November 2023.
