Dubai: The European Union (EU) has planned to revise its visa suspension mechanism to tighten the rules for suspending visa-free travel privileges for countries that do not cooperate with the readmission of their citizens whose asylum applications have been rejected.
The news of the move was announced by the EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, who is seeking swift action.
The Commission is expected to formally propose changes to the Schengen visa regime in July 2024. This proposal will focus on strengthening Article 25a of the Visa Code, which allows the EU to suspend visa-free entry for non-cooperative countries.
Expected outcome
Commissioner Johansson believes this revision will lead to a decrease in irregular migration and rejected asylum applications. The aim is to discourage countries from issuing visas to citizens who might attempt unfounded asylum claims in the EU.
Reform mechanism
Discussions surrounding the reform of the visa suspension mechanism have been ongoing for some time. However, formal approval from the European Parliament (MEPs) is necessary before the specific clause in the Visa Code can be tightened.
EU recently proposed to suspend Visa-free travel for Vanuatu permanently
This move comes on the heels of the EU's proposal to permanently suspend visa-free travel for Vanuatu. The island nation failed to address concerns regarding irregular migration and security risks associated with its investor citizenship schemes.
The EU had previously implemented a temporary visa requirement for Vanuatu in May 2022, but its ineffectiveness prompted the proposal for a permanent measure.