The Committee on civil liberties, justice and home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament (EP) on 9 March voted for the granting of visa-free regime for Ukraine. The decision was supported by 39 members of the European Parliament.
Overwhelming majority on @EP_Justice vote for #VisaWaiver for #Ukrainian citizens. It is time 4 the @EUCouncil to deliver @EPPGroup @EU2017MT pic.twitter.com/cFR1XogQiQ
— Mariya Gabriel (@GabrielMariya) March 9, 2017
Then the case for the EP and the Council of the EU: the EP must approve its decision on 5 April, and the Council of the EU – approximately 11 may. If to Ukraine all goes well, then plan a trip to Europe without visas Ukrainians can after 11-12 June. But there are pessimistic forecasts: unofficially, the MEPs say that until 5 April in the European Parliament may not introduce a bill on the abolition of visas for Ukrainians and the day of the vote can move for about two weeks. MEPs promise to do everything possible that the timing is not shifted. But if it did happen, then bezviz for Ukrainians not work on June 11-12 and June 25-26, if the EU Council will decide in late may.
To a visa-free regime with the EU Ukraine was almost ten years. At the finish line we went in December 2015, when the European Commission in its report approved the last five requirements for Ukraine. “Ukraine has fulfilled and even exceeded our expectations.” Commented on today’s decision of the relevant Committee of the European Parliament LIBE on granting Ukraine a visa-free regime member of this Committee, Michael Boni.
This decision was preceded by the successful completion of the Trialogue between the EP, the European Commission (EC) and the EU Council on 28 February, and confirmation of the liberalization of the visa regime for Ukrainians by the Committee of permanent representatives of member countries of the EU (COREPER) on March 2.
As stated in the press service of the EP, it is now up to the European Parliament and the EU Council, which must agree on the abolition of visas on their meetings.
The session of the European Parliament, which will consider the Ukrainian question, scheduled for April 5.
“The last phase of parliamentary competencies – consideration of the decision on visa-free regime for Ukrainians at the plenary session of the European Parliament in early April. Instructed the foreign Ministry to strengthen the relevant work for the early adoption of a positive verdict to the EP,” States the official Facebook page of Petro Poroshenko in Facebook.
However, according to European journalists, and the European Parliament, a bill on the abolition of visas for Ukrainians may not be able to make in the EP until April 5. In this case, voting in the EP can be shifted by two weeks. Bezviz for Ukraine, respectively, will earn not on 11-12 June (it is noteworthy that these days in the neighboring country celebrated Russia Day), and 25-26 June.
The speaker on the Ukrainian question, the MEP Maria Gabriel promised to do everything possible to vote in the EP passed on 5 April. But Ukraine has not used, as the EU constantly shifts time. First was the immigration crisis and the coordination of the Brussels suspension mechanism – the suspension mechanism a visa-free regime in case of influx of migrants. Its the EU Council approved a visa-free regime with Georgia only on February 27. To the suspension mechanism was tied bezviz for Ukraine, which we promised last year.
“Frankly, the main obstacle to provide us the visa-free regime is France, sources say “Today” in the Administration of the President of Ukraine. That officials delay approval of the final decision in the EP and the EU Council until the presidential election (first round held on 23 April, the second may 7, – Ed.)”.
The meeting of the EU Council, who has the last word on bezveze for Ukraine, previously scheduled on may 11. If the EP decides two weeks later, respectively, to wait for the decision of the Council in late may. After the decision must be published in the Official journal of the European Union and after 20 days will take effect.
“When the changes come into force, the Moldovans holding biometric passports can enter the EU 90 days within a 180 day period for business, tourist or family visits”, – said the press service of the EP.
