BETA


2015/0056(NLE) EU/Samoa Agreement: short-stay visa waiver

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead LIBE GABRIEL Mariya (icon: PPE PPE) GUILLAUME Sylvie (icon: S&D S&D), STEVENS Helga (icon: ECR ECR), MICHEL Louis (icon: ALDE ALDE), VALERO Bodil (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE)
Committee Opinion AFET
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 077-p2, TFEU 218-p6a

Events

2016/02/27
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/274 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

CONTENT: under this Decision, the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver is approved on behalf of the Union.

To recall, the Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. The Agreement has been signed and is applied on a provisional basis as from 28 May 2015.

The Agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . A joint statement on the interpretation of this duration of 90 days is annexed to the Agreement.

The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity . For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law.

The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met .

The Agreement sets up a Joint Committee of experts for the management of the Agreement. The Union is to be represented within that Joint Committee by the Commission, which should be assisted by the representatives of the Member States.

This Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland and the United Kingdom do not take part . Therefore, these two countries are not bound by it or subject to its application.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 12.2.2016.

2016/02/12
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2016/02/12
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2016/02/12
   CSL - Council Meeting
2015/12/15
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2015/12/15
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 571 votes to 64 with 24 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

Following the recommendation of its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The Agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity.

Documents
2015/11/16
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Details

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

To recall, the Agreement signed on 28 May 2015 provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity.

The report is accompanied by a short justification stating that this Agreement on the waiver of short-stay visas simultaneously represents a culmination of the deepening of relations between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa – which is politically highly significant in the context of the Cotonou Agreement – and is an additional way of stepping up economic and cultural relations and intensifying political dialogue on various issues, including human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Samoa’s economy , Samoa has one of the most dynamic economies of all the Pacific islands. Two thirds of the work force are employed in agriculture, which accounts for 90% of exports. The EU is currently negotiating Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with 14 Pacific countries, including Samoa. Generally speaking, trade and investment between the European Union and the Pacific countries remain weak both as regards their value and in relative terms, but they have strong potential for development. The visa waiver agreement could in particular have a positive impact on investment and on the development of tourism. As regards the political situation , Samoa has been a stable parliamentary democracy since it gained independence in 1962. Fundamental rights and freedoms are protected by the Constitution and generally respected in practice. The Union’s political dialogue with Samoa focuses, on the one hand, on environmental issues and climate change and, on the other hand, on human rights and gender equality. This agreement will create additional opportunities to intensify cooperation with regard to human rights, including gender violence and domestic violence. With regard to mobility , the rate of refusal of visas being low. Most migrants currently make the United States their destination, while very few of them go to the European Union. The country does not present any threat in terms either of irregular migration or of security and public policy. Given that no EU Member State has a Consulate in Samoa, the visa waiver will constitute a definite advantage for travel to the European Union for purposes of tourism or business.

As regards the implementation and monitoring of the agreement , the rapporteur:

called on the Commission to observe any developments in relation to the criteria regarding clandestine immigration, public policy and security, including, considerations relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms; urged the Commission and the authorities of Samoa to ensure full reciprocity of the visa waiver , which should permit equal treatment of all citizens, particularly all citizens of the Union; encouraged the Commission to review the composition of the joint management committees for future agreements to enable the European Parliament to be involved in the work of these committees.

Lastly, the rapporteur also queried the practice of signing visa waiver agreements and applying them provisionally before the European Parliament has approved them, a practice which is liable to reduce Parliament’s room for manoeuvre.

Documents
2015/11/10
   EP - Vote in committee
2015/09/08
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2015/06/08
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2015/05/07
   CSL - Council Meeting
2015/04/28
   CSL - Legislative proposal
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement has been signed and is applied on a provisional basis.

It is now necessary to approve the Agreement on behalf of the EU.

CONTENT: the Council is invited to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

For further details of the Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 5.3.2015 .

Territorial provisions : the provisions of the future Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Agreement sets up a Joint Committee of experts for the management of the Agreement. The Union is to be represented within that Joint Committee by the Commission, which should be assisted by the representatives of the Member States.

Documents
2015/04/28
   CSL - Document attached to the procedure
Documents
2015/04/27
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement has been signed and is applied on a provisional basis.

It is now necessary to approve the Agreement on behalf of the EU.

CONTENT: the Council is invited to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

For further details of the Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 5.3.2015 .

Territorial provisions : the provisions of the future Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Agreement sets up a Joint Committee of experts for the management of the Agreement. The Union is to be represented within that Joint Committee by the Commission, which should be assisted by the representatives of the Member States.

Documents
2015/04/13
   EP - GABRIEL Mariya (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in LIBE
2015/03/05
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
2015/03/05
   EC - Preparatory document
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: Regulation (EU) No 509/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council amended Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. The Regulation was adopted on 20 May 2014 and entered into force on 9 June 2014.

In July 2014, the Commission presented a Recommendation to the Council to authorise it to start negotiations on visa waiver agreements with each of the following 17 countries : Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu. On 9 October 2014, the Council addressed negotiating directives to the Commission.

The negotiations on the visa waiver agreement with Samoa were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. The agreement was initialled by the chief negotiators on 15 December 2014 . The Commission considers that the objectives set by the Council in its negotiating directives were attained and that the draft visa waiver agreement is acceptable to the Union.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council approve the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver .

The content of the agreement may be summarised as follows:

Purpose and duration of stay : the agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period .

The agreement takes into account the situation of the Member States that do not yet apply the Schengen acquis in full. As long as they are not part of the Schengen area without internal borders, the visa waiver confers a right for the nationals of Samoa to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

A provision has been included in the agreement stating that Samoa may suspend or terminate the agreement only in respect of all the Member States of the European Union and that the Union may also only suspend or terminate the agreement in respect of all of its Member States.

Scope : the visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity . For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law.

The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met.

Territorial application : in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Samoa to stay only in those Member States’ European territories.

The provisions of the Agreement do not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee for the management of the Agreement, which shall adopt its rules of procedure.

2015/03/05
   EP - Preparatory document
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: Regulation (EU) No 509/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council amended Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. The Regulation was adopted on 20 May 2014 and entered into force on 9 June 2014.

In July 2014, the Commission presented a Recommendation to the Council to authorise it to start negotiations on visa waiver agreements with each of the following 17 countries : Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu. On 9 October 2014, the Council addressed negotiating directives to the Commission.

The negotiations on the visa waiver agreement with Samoa were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. The agreement was initialled by the chief negotiators on 15 December 2014 . The Commission considers that the objectives set by the Council in its negotiating directives were attained and that the draft visa waiver agreement is acceptable to the Union.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council approve the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver .

The content of the agreement may be summarised as follows:

Purpose and duration of stay : the agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period .

The agreement takes into account the situation of the Member States that do not yet apply the Schengen acquis in full. As long as they are not part of the Schengen area without internal borders, the visa waiver confers a right for the nationals of Samoa to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

A provision has been included in the agreement stating that Samoa may suspend or terminate the agreement only in respect of all the Member States of the European Union and that the Union may also only suspend or terminate the agreement in respect of all of its Member States.

Scope : the visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity . For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law.

The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met.

Territorial application : in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Samoa to stay only in those Member States’ European territories.

The provisions of the Agreement do not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee for the management of the Agreement, which shall adopt its rules of procedure.

Documents

Activities

Votes

A8-0320/2015 - Mariya Gabriel - Vote unique #

2015/12/15 Outcome: +: 571, -: 64, 0: 24
DE IT ES PL RO FR CZ PT BE SE HU BG NL FI SK AT DK EL HR LT GB SI IE LV EE CY MT LU
Total
76
62
43
46
31
66
19
18
19
19
20
13
23
12
12
17
11
20
10
9
68
8
8
7
6
6
5
4
icon: PPE PPE
191

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Lithuania PPE

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
174
3

Netherlands S&D

3

Croatia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Malta S&D

3

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
60

Romania ALDE

3

Bulgaria ALDE

2

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Denmark ALDE

2

Croatia ALDE

2

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Estonia ALDE

3

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
44

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Hungary Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Italy ECR

2

Romania ECR

For (1)

1

Czechia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

1

Netherlands ECR

2
2

Slovakia ECR

2

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
42

France GUE/NGL

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

3

Czechia GUE/NGL

2
3

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

3

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
12

Germany NI

2

Poland NI

Abstain (1)

1

France NI

1
3

United Kingdom NI

Abstain (1)

1
icon: EFDD EFDD
40

Poland EFDD

1

France EFDD

Against (1)

1

Czechia EFDD

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1
icon: ENF ENF
33

Poland ENF

2

Romania ENF

Against (1)

1

Belgium ENF

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

3

Austria ENF

3

United Kingdom ENF

Against (1)

1

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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  • date: 2015-06-08T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: GUILLAUME Sylvie group: ECR name: STEVENS Helga group: ALDE name: MICHEL Louis group: GUE/NGL name: VERGIAT Marie-Christine group: Verts/ALE name: VALERO Bodil responsible: True committee: LIBE date: 2015-04-13T00:00:00 committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: GABRIEL Mariya
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group: EPP name: GABRIEL Mariya
council
  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN meeting_id: 3445 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=3445*&MEET_DATE=12/02/2016 date: 2016-02-12T00:00:00
  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Foreign Affairs meeting_id: 3384 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=3384*&MEET_DATE=07/05/2015 date: 2015-05-07T00:00:00
docs
  • date: 2015-03-05T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0107/COM_COM(2015)0107_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0107 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2015&nu_doc=0107 title: EUR-Lex type: Document attached to the procedure body: EC
  • date: 2015-04-28T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=7127%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 07127/2015 type: Document attached to the procedure body: CSL
  • date: 2015-09-08T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE560.850 title: PE560.850 type: Committee draft report body: EP
events
  • date: 2015-03-05T00:00:00 type: Initial legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0108/COM_COM(2015)0108_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0108 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2015&nu_doc=0108 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: Regulation (EU) No 509/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council amended Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. The Regulation was adopted on 20 May 2014 and entered into force on 9 June 2014. In July 2014, the Commission presented a Recommendation to the Council to authorise it to start negotiations on visa waiver agreements with each of the following 17 countries : Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu. On 9 October 2014, the Council addressed negotiating directives to the Commission. The negotiations on the visa waiver agreement with Samoa were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. The agreement was initialled by the chief negotiators on 15 December 2014 . The Commission considers that the objectives set by the Council in its negotiating directives were attained and that the draft visa waiver agreement is acceptable to the Union. CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council approve the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver . The content of the agreement may be summarised as follows: Purpose and duration of stay : the agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . The agreement takes into account the situation of the Member States that do not yet apply the Schengen acquis in full. As long as they are not part of the Schengen area without internal borders, the visa waiver confers a right for the nationals of Samoa to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area. A provision has been included in the agreement stating that Samoa may suspend or terminate the agreement only in respect of all the Member States of the European Union and that the Union may also only suspend or terminate the agreement in respect of all of its Member States. Scope : the visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity . For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met. Territorial application : in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Samoa to stay only in those Member States’ European territories. The provisions of the Agreement do not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee for the management of the Agreement, which shall adopt its rules of procedure.
  • date: 2015-04-28T00:00:00 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=7195%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 07195/2015 summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: the Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement has been signed and is applied on a provisional basis. It is now necessary to approve the Agreement on behalf of the EU. CONTENT: the Council is invited to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. For further details of the Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 5.3.2015 . Territorial provisions : the provisions of the future Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Agreement sets up a Joint Committee of experts for the management of the Agreement. The Union is to be represented within that Joint Committee by the Commission, which should be assisted by the representatives of the Member States.
  • date: 2015-06-08T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2015-11-10T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2015-11-16T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2015-0320&language=EN title: A8-0320/2015 summary: The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement. To recall, the Agreement signed on 28 May 2015 provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. The report is accompanied by a short justification stating that this Agreement on the waiver of short-stay visas simultaneously represents a culmination of the deepening of relations between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa – which is politically highly significant in the context of the Cotonou Agreement – and is an additional way of stepping up economic and cultural relations and intensifying political dialogue on various issues, including human rights and fundamental freedoms. Samoa’s economy , Samoa has one of the most dynamic economies of all the Pacific islands. Two thirds of the work force are employed in agriculture, which accounts for 90% of exports. The EU is currently negotiating Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with 14 Pacific countries, including Samoa. Generally speaking, trade and investment between the European Union and the Pacific countries remain weak both as regards their value and in relative terms, but they have strong potential for development. The visa waiver agreement could in particular have a positive impact on investment and on the development of tourism. As regards the political situation , Samoa has been a stable parliamentary democracy since it gained independence in 1962. Fundamental rights and freedoms are protected by the Constitution and generally respected in practice. The Union’s political dialogue with Samoa focuses, on the one hand, on environmental issues and climate change and, on the other hand, on human rights and gender equality. This agreement will create additional opportunities to intensify cooperation with regard to human rights, including gender violence and domestic violence. With regard to mobility , the rate of refusal of visas being low. Most migrants currently make the United States their destination, while very few of them go to the European Union. The country does not present any threat in terms either of irregular migration or of security and public policy. Given that no EU Member State has a Consulate in Samoa, the visa waiver will constitute a definite advantage for travel to the European Union for purposes of tourism or business. As regards the implementation and monitoring of the agreement , the rapporteur: called on the Commission to observe any developments in relation to the criteria regarding clandestine immigration, public policy and security, including, considerations relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms; urged the Commission and the authorities of Samoa to ensure full reciprocity of the visa waiver , which should permit equal treatment of all citizens, particularly all citizens of the Union; encouraged the Commission to review the composition of the joint management committees for future agreements to enable the European Parliament to be involved in the work of these committees. Lastly, the rapporteur also queried the practice of signing visa waiver agreements and applying them provisionally before the European Parliament has approved them, a practice which is liable to reduce Parliament’s room for manoeuvre.
  • date: 2015-12-15T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=26376&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2015-12-15T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0428 title: T8-0428/2015 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 571 votes to 64 with 24 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. Following the recommendation of its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement. The Agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity.
  • date: 2016-02-12T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2016-02-12T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2016-02-27T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/274 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. CONTENT: under this Decision, the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver is approved on behalf of the Union. To recall, the Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver. The Agreement has been signed and is applied on a provisional basis as from 28 May 2015. The Agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . A joint statement on the interpretation of this duration of 90 days is annexed to the Agreement. The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity . For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met . The Agreement sets up a Joint Committee of experts for the management of the Agreement. The Union is to be represented within that Joint Committee by the Commission, which should be assisted by the representatives of the Member States. This Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland and the United Kingdom do not take part . Therefore, these two countries are not bound by it or subject to its application. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 12.2.2016. docs: title: Decision 2016/274 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32016D0274 title: OJ L 052 27.02.2016, p. 0015 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2016:052:TOC
links
other
  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Former Council configuration
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ title: Migration and Home Affairs commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
procedure/Modified legal basis
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Rules of Procedure EP 159
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  • 6.40.09 Relations with Oceanian countries
  • 7.10.04 External borders crossing and controls, visas
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  • The European Parliament adopted by 571 votes to 64 with 24 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    Following the recommendation of its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

    The Agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period. The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. 

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  • The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

    To recall, the Agreement signed on 28 May 2015 provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period. The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. 

    The report is accompanied by a short justification stating that this Agreement on the waiver of short-stay visas simultaneously represents a culmination of the deepening of relations between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa – which is politically highly significant in the context of the Cotonou Agreement – and is an additional way of stepping up economic and cultural relations and intensifying political dialogue on various issues, including human rights and fundamental freedoms.

    • Samoa’s economy, Samoa has one of the most dynamic economies of all the Pacific islands. Two thirds of the work force are employed in agriculture, which accounts for 90% of exports. The EU is currently negotiating Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with 14 Pacific countries, including Samoa. Generally speaking, trade and investment between the European Union and the Pacific countries remain weak both as regards their value and in relative terms, but they have strong potential for development. The visa waiver agreement could in particular have a positive impact on investment and on the development of tourism.
    • As regards the political situation, Samoa has been a stable parliamentary democracy since it gained independence in 1962. Fundamental rights and freedoms are protected by the Constitution and generally respected in practice. The Union’s political dialogue with Samoa focuses, on the one hand, on environmental issues and climate change and, on the other hand, on human rights and gender equality. This agreement will create additional opportunities to intensify cooperation with regard to human rights, including gender violence and domestic violence.
    • With regard to mobility, the rate of refusal of visas being low. Most migrants currently make the United States their destination, while very few of them go to the European Union. The country does not present any threat in terms either of irregular migration or of security and public policy. Given that no EU Member State has a Consulate in Samoa, the visa waiver will constitute a definite advantage for travel to the European Union for purposes of tourism or business.

    As regards the implementation and monitoring of the agreement, the rapporteur:

    • called on the Commission to observe any developments in relation to the criteria regarding clandestine immigration, public policy and security, including, considerations relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms;
    • urged the Commission and the authorities of Samoa to ensure full reciprocity of the visa waiver, which should permit equal treatment of all citizens, particularly all citizens of the Union;
    • encouraged the Commission to review the composition of the joint management committees for future agreements to enable the European Parliament to be involved in the work of these committees.

    Lastly, the rapporteur also queried the practice of signing visa waiver agreements and applying them provisionally before the European Parliament has approved them, a practice which is liable to reduce Parliament’s room for manoeuvre.

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  • group: Verts/ALE name: VALERO Bodil
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  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

    BACKGROUND: the Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement has been signed and is applied on a provisional basis.

    It is now necessary to approve the Agreement on behalf of the EU.

    CONTENT: the Council is invited to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Independent State of Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    For further details of the Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 5.3.2015.

    Territorial provisions: the provisions of the future Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

    The Agreement sets up a Joint Committee of experts for the management of the Agreement. The Union is to be represented within that Joint Committee by the Commission, which should be assisted by the representatives of the Member States.

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  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

    BACKGROUND: Regulation (EU) No 509/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council amended Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. The Regulation was adopted on 20 May 2014 and entered into force on 9 June 2014.

    In July 2014, the Commission presented a Recommendation to the Council to authorise it to start negotiations on visa waiver agreements with each of the following 17 countries: Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu. On 9 October 2014, the Council addressed negotiating directives to the Commission.

    The negotiations on the visa waiver agreement with Samoa were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. The agreement was initialled by the chief negotiators on 15 December 2014. The Commission considers that the objectives set by the Council in its negotiating directives were attained and that the draft visa waiver agreement is acceptable to the Union.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council approve the Agreement between the European Union andSamoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    The content of the agreement may be summarised as follows:

    Purpose and duration of stay: the agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period.

    The agreement takes into account the situation of the Member States that do not yet apply the Schengen acquis in full. As long as they are not part of the Schengen area without internal borders, the visa waiver confers a right for the nationals of Samoa to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

    A provision has been included in the agreement stating that Samoa may suspend or terminate the agreement only in respect of all the Member States of the European Union and that the Union may also only suspend or terminate the agreement in respect of all of its Member States.

    Scope: the visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law.

    The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met.

    Territorial application: in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Samoa to stay only in those Member States’ European territories.

    The provisions of the Agreement do not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

    The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee for the management of the Agreement, which shall adopt its rules of procedure.

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  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. 

    BACKGROUND: Regulation (EU) No 509/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council amended Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. The Regulation was adopted on 20 May 2014 and entered into force on 9 June 2014.

    In July 2014, the Commission presented a Recommendation to the Council to authorise it to start negotiations on visa waiver agreements with each of the following 17 countries: Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu. On 9 October 2014, the Council addressed negotiating directives to the Commission.

    The negotiations on the visa waiver agreement with Samoa were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. The agreement was initialled by the chief negotiators on 15 December 2014. The Commission considers that the objectives set by the Council in its negotiating directives were attained and that the draft visa waiver agreement is acceptable to the Union.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council approve the Agreement between the European Union andSamoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    The content of the agreement may be summarised as follows:

    Purpose and duration of stay: the agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period.

    The agreement takes into account the situation of the Member States that do not yet apply the Schengen acquis in full. As long as they are not part of the Schengen area without internal borders, the visa waiver confers a right for the nationals of Samoa to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

    A provision has been included in the agreement stating that Samoa may suspend or terminate the agreement only in respect of all the Member States of the European Union and that the Union may also only suspend or terminate the agreement in respect of all of its Member States.

    Scope: the visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law.

    The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met.

    Territorial application: in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Samoa to stay only in those Member States’ European territories.

    The provisions of the Agreement do not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

    The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee for the management of the Agreement, which shall adopt its rules of procedure.

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07195/2015
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  • group: EPP name: GABRIEL Mariya
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  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Samoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. 

    BACKGROUND: Regulation (EU) No 509/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council amended Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. The Regulation was adopted on 20 May 2014 and entered into force on 9 June 2014.

    In July 2014, the Commission presented a Recommendation to the Council to authorise it to start negotiations on visa waiver agreements with each of the following 17 countries: Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu. On 9 October 2014, the Council addressed negotiating directives to the Commission.

    The negotiations on the visa waiver agreement with Samoa were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. The agreement was initialled by the chief negotiators on 15 December 2014. The Commission considers that the objectives set by the Council in its negotiating directives were attained and that the draft visa waiver agreement is acceptable to the Union.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council approve the Agreement between the European Union andSamoa on the short-stay visa waiver.

    The content of the agreement may be summarised as follows:

    Purpose and duration of stay: the agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Samoa when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period.

    The agreement takes into account the situation of the Member States that do not yet apply the Schengen acquis in full. As long as they are not part of the Schengen area without internal borders, the visa waiver confers a right for the nationals of Samoa to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

    A provision has been included in the agreement stating that Samoa may suspend or terminate the agreement only in respect of all the Member States of the European Union and that the Union may also only suspend or terminate the agreement in respect of all of its Member States.

    Scope: the visa waiver covers all categories of persons (ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passport holders) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. For this latter category, each Member State and also Samoa remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law.

    The Member States and Samoa reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions are not met.

    Territorial application: in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Samoa to stay only in those Member States’ European territories.

    The provisions of the Agreement do not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

    The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee for the management of the Agreement, which shall adopt its rules of procedure.

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AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
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  • date: 2015-03-05T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0108/COM_COM(2015)0108_EN.pdf celexid: CELEX:52015PC0108:EN type: Legislative proposal published title: COM(2015)0108 body: EC commission: type: Legislative proposal published
committees
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET
  • body: EP responsible: True committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee: LIBE
links
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    procedure
    geographical_area
    Samoa
    reference
    2015/0056(NLE)
    title
    EU/Samoa Agreement: short-stay visa waiver
    legal_basis
    stage_reached
    Preparatory phase in Parliament
    subtype
    Consent by Parliament
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    NLE - Non-legislative enactments
    subject