The European Union Member States at the meeting of the working group on visas held today have aligned their positions on a compromise, based on which a decision regarding Kosovo’s visa liberalization would be approved and would become effective on November 1, 2023, when the European Travel Information System (ETIAS).
Such an announcement has been made through a recent report provided by Radio Free Europe, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The issue of visa liberalisation for citizens of Kosovo was discussed for the first time during the meeting of the working group on visas of the Council of the European Union held on October 13, while it has once again brought to the table during the working group’s today meeting.
Despite the fact that since 2018, the European Commission estimated that the Balkan country met all the needed requirements for such a process to be completed, Kosovo is waiting for this process to be finalised since February 19, 2012.
During the meeting of the working group held on October 13, it was reported that France unfold a proposal that Kosovo’s visa liberalisation process be linked with the operationalisation of ETIAS.
Back then it was stressed that such a proposal was supported by at least four European Union Member countries, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Ahead of the meeting of the working group, it was reported that the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union supported France’s proposal.
In addition, according to the Radio Free Europe report, the amended proposal of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, besides the conditioning of visa liberalisation for citizens of Kosovo with the operationalisation of ETIAS, also included other requirements, such as the finalization of repatriation agreements by authorities in Kosovo with the European Union countries with which there are no such agreements, and adapt its visa policy to that of the European Union.
Recently, the Czech Presidency of the Council of EU told SchengenVisaInfo.com that it would like to see a positive decision regarding this process by the end of the Czech Presidency.
“The Czech Presidency has re-introduced and re-opened the question of visa liberalisation for Kosovo at the October Visa Working Party and we will continue discussions again in the second week of November. It is a priority for the Czech Presidency and we would like to see a positive decision in the Council by the end of the Czech Presidency including an approved timeline as to when the visa waiver for Kosovo will come into force,” a spokesperson for the 2022 Czech Presidency of the EU Council, Veronika Lukášová, told SchengenVisaInfo.com.
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