ISLAMABAD, JULY20: In order to reduce unauthorized immigration to the union, the European Union intends to tighten visa-free entrance requirements for a few third-country visa exemptions.According to Schengen.News, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson made this announcement and said the authority will soon publicly propose reforms to the visa regime.
Commissioner Johansson said in letters obtained by Euractiv that the Commission would propose stricter regulations in July 2024, citing a provision that permits the suspension of visa privileges for nations that refuse to assist in the repatriation of their citizens. The Commission will propose measures pertaining to visas under Article 25a of the Visa Code in July. This means that nations will lose their ability to enter the EU without a visa if they don’t assist in the readmission of their nationals whose asylum claims have been denied by the EU.
Commissioner Johansson asked authorities to start talks on updating the visa suspension procedures as soon as feasible, even if the official proposal is still pending.Tightening the regulations, according to Commissioner Johansson, will lower irregular migration and the amount of asylum claims from citizens of nations without visa requirements that are denied.By addressing the massive volume of baseless asylum requests from nations where visas are not required, improving the mechanism’s application process, and enhancing its deterrent power, the redesign of the visa suspension mechanism will lessen irregular immigration.
Euractiv reports that while the mechanism’s reform has been discussed for some time, any changes to this specific Visa Code clause must be explicitly approved by MEPs before the regulation can be strengthened.The EU has suggested that Vanuatu’s visa-free travel be permanently suspended because of the nation’s inability to handle irregular migration and security issues related to its investor citizenship schemes.Following an unsuccessful temporary suspension of visa-free travel for Vanuatu in May 2022, the EU Commission suggested a permanent suspension of such rights in May of this year.
