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Schengen access to be eased for Bosnians and Albanians

Visa requirements set to be lifted for both countries as Commission estimates all conditions are met.

The European Union is aiming to lift visa requirements for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania entering the Schengen area of border-free travel.

At the next meeting of the EU’s interior ministers, in Luxembourg on 7-8 October, informal approval will be given to ending the visa requirement.

Last week, the European Commission sent to the member states and the European Parliament its assessment that both countries had met the last remaining conditions for lifting visa requirements.

The changes to the rules governing visits of up to three months, are expected to take effect in December or January. The Schengen area of free movement includes most EU member states and several non-member states.

Parliament vote

The plan requires the backing of MEPs, with the Parliament’s civil liberties committee scheduled to vote on Monday (27 September) and the plenary on 7 October. “I do not expect any major obstacles,” said Tanja Fajon, a Slovenian centre-left MEP who has written a report on the matter. “The atmosphere in the Parliament is positive and I have support [for my report] from all political groups.”

Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia met the conditions for visa-free travel last year. Following the lifting of visa requirements for those three countries in December, several EU member states – notably Belgium – registered a spike in bogus asylum applications, especially from Serbia and Macedonia. The experience provoked a hardening of attitudes toward Albania and Bosnia.

Demanding procedure

“The procedure was a bit more demanding for Albania and Bosnia because of the overall atmosphere in the EU,” Fajon said.

The meeting of interior ministers will provide an indication of the readiness of the member states to relax conditions. Formal approval of the Commission’s proposal is not expected until the following meeting of interior ministers, on 8-9 November.

At the October meeting, justice and interior ministers will also discuss Commission plans for a revised budget and timeline for the introduction of a second-generation Schengen Information System (SIS) to replace the existing structure.

The transition is far behind schedule and over budget, prompting several member states, led by Germany, to question the Commission’s handling of the matter. In June, the ministers had asked the Commission to present a revised transition plan. Commission sources suggest that the new system could be operational by the end of next year. Officials estimate that, to date, the project has cost six times the original budget of €16 million.

Ministers will also discuss the way ahead for ‘enhanced co-operation’ between member states on divorce. There are currently 14 member states looking to introduce common rules to determine which jurisdiction should apply in cases of international divorce. No formal decision on the matter is expected.

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