EU GRANTS VISA FREE TRAVEL TO CITIZENS OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001614

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF SMIG CVIS EUN
SUBJECT: EU GRANTS VISA FREE TRAVEL TO CITIZENS OF
SERBIA, MACEDONIA AND MONTENEGRO

REF: BRUSSELS 1597

BRUSSELS 00001614 001.2 OF 002


SUMMARY
--------------


1. EU ministers in the November 30 Justice and
Home Affairs (JHA) Council decided to grant visa
free travel to and throughout the Schengen area
for citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.
Ministers discussed the so-called "Stockholm
Program" of EU activities in the area of freedom,
security and justice for the period 2010-2014.
They also reviewed the state of play concerning
the development of the Visa Information System
(VIS) and the Schengen Information System II (SIS
II). Full text of the JHA Council conclusions can
be downloaded from the Council website
(http://www.consilium.europa.eu/Newsroom). END
SUMMARY.

VISA LIBERALIZATION FOR WESTERN BALKANS
--------------


2. EU ministers meeting in the November 30 JHA
Council decided to grant visa free travel to and
throughout the Schengen area for citizens of
Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Swedish
Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy/Council
chair Tobias Billstrom told a press conference the
visa waiver would apply starting December 19, 2009
to holders of biometric passports. Billstrom said
the EU's decision would "make a real difference
for the citizens of the countries concerned, who
will be able to spend Christmas in the EU."


3. Albania and Bosnia are not considered to have
met all the benchmarks agreed under the visa
liberalization dialogue between the EU and the
countries of Western Balkans. However, ministers
agreed to a political declaration of the Council
and European Parliament, which invites the
Commission to propose visa liberalization for the
two countries as soon as they comply with all the
benchmarks. The EU's stated aim is to achieve
visa free travel for Bosnian and Albanian citizens
"as soon as possible." The main areas where
benchmarks were set under the visa liberalization
dialogue are border controls, passport security,
fight against organised crime and corruption, as
well as external relations and fundamental rights.


4. Taking questions, Billstrom highlighted the
"very clear message" sent to Albania and Bosnia on
the terms of future close cooperation with the
Union. Commission Vice-President Barrot,
responsible for Freedom, Security and Justice,
noted that the Commission already "has the
possibility" to envisage some kind of visa
facilitation for the two countries (i.e., cheaper
visas for some categories of citizens). Billstrom
and Barrot said the Commission would soon send
experts to assess progress made by Albania and
Bosnia. "If and when it turns out that major
progress has been made, the Commission may put
forward a proposal for liberalization," Barrot
said.

STOCKHOLM PROGRAM
--------------


5. In a public debate, ministers discussed the
new multi-annual strategic work program of EU
activities in the area of freedom, security and
justice. The so-called "Stockholm Program" (2010-
14) follows on the Tampere Program (2000-2004) and
the Hague Program (2005-2010),covering questions
of citizenship, justice and security as well as
asylum, migration and the external dimension of
justice and home affairs. Swedish Presidency and
other EU sources described the Stockholm Program
as putting "the citizen at the heart of EU
action." Discussions among Home Affairs ministers
on aspects falling in their area of responsibility
revealed a broad consensus on the draft. Justice
ministers discussed other parts of the draft on
the second day of the JHA Council meeting,
December 1. The finishing touches will be
incorporated in the draft in the coming days so
that the document can be endorsed by EU leaders at

BRUSSELS 00001614 002.2 OF 002


their December 10-11 European Council meeting.

VIS, SIS II AND IT AGENCY
--------------


6. In the Mixed Committee (EU plus Schengen
members Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and
Switzerland),ministers noted the state of play
regarding the development of the Visa Information
System (VIS) and of the second-generation Schengen
Information System (SIS II) intended to facilitate
the exchange of information on persons and objects
between national authorities in the enlarged
Schengen area:

-- Regarding VIS, ministers noted a revised
timetable presented by the Commission, which sets
December 2010 as the new target date for
deployment of the system. Once operational, VIS
will support the implementation of the common visa
policy and facilitate effective border control by
enabling Schengen Member States to enter, update
and consult visa data, including biometric data,
electronically;

-- Regarding SIS II, the development of which has
been dogged by technical problems and delays, the
next stage in the process is a technical test to
be carried out at the end of January. Ministers
will then have a couple of months to decide on the
next step. Should the test fail, the SIS II
project could be dropped and replaced by an
enhanced version of the SISone4all currently in
operation (so-called "SIS I+").


7. In June 2009 the Commission proposed the
setting up of an agency for large scale IT
systems, which would be responsible for the
operational management of VIS, SIS II and EURODAC,
the IT system for comparing the fingerprints of
asylum seekers and illegal immigrants. The new
agency would also be in charge of the operational
aspects of any other large-scale IT systems
developed in the future in the area of freedom,
security and justice.

OTHER ISSUES
--------------


8. The Council discussed the state-of-play of the
Common European Asylum System (REFTEL). In
particular, ministers noted an agreement reached
between the Council and Parliament on the
establishment of the European Asylum Support
Office (EASO) aimed at improving the
implementation of the Common European Asylum
System, strengthening practical cooperation among
Member States on asylum as well as providing and
coordinating operational support to Member States
facing specific and disproportionate pressures on
their national asylum systems. The EASO will be
established in Valetta, Malta. The relevant
legislative instruments will be adopted in the
near future. The office will take over
responsibility for certain operations that have
until now been financed by the European Refugee
Fund (ERF),which is intended to support Member
States in granting reception conditions to
refugees, displaced persons and beneficiaries of
subsidiary protection.

MURRAY