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2015/0196(NLE) EU/Tonga 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), HYUSMENOVA Filiz (icon: ALDE ALDE), 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

2016/09/30
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

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

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/1742 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver.

CONTENT: with this Decision, the Agreement between the European Union and Tonga 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 Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver. This Agreement was signed and is applied on a provisional basis since 21 November 2015.

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

The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (holders of ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passports) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity .

For this latter category, each Member State and Tonga remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. In order to ensure harmonised implementation, a joint declaration is attached to the agreement on the interpretation of the category of persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity.

The Member States and Tonga reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions is 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 the United Kingdom and Ireland do not take part. Therefore, these two countries are not bound by it or subject to its application.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20.9.2016.

Documents
Decision 2016/1742
OJ L 264 30.09.2016, p. 0023
2016/09/20
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2016/09/20
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2016/09/20
   CSL - Council Meeting
2016/06/08
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
Documents
Results of vote in Parliament
2016/06/08
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 595 votes to 52, with 20 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 Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver.

In line with the recommendation made by the 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 Tonga 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 provisions of the Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom or Ireland.

Documents
T8-0255/2016
2016/05/18
   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 Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver.

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

To recall, the Agreement signed on 20 November 2015 provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Tongo 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 stipulating that this Agreement constitutes simultaneously represents a culmination of the deepening of relations between the European Union and Tonga 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.

On an economic level , Tonga’s economy is based essentially on agriculture and fisheries (pumpkins and tuna), accounting for 20 % of GDP, and services, representing 60 % of GDP, including the progressively developing tourism sector.

As regards investment and trade relations , these are currently unstable and low in terms of value and value and in relative terms. The main products exported from this country are unprocessed agricultural products such as palm oil and sugar, and the main products imported are boats and ships, with a trade surplus for the Pacific. While EU trade relations with Tonga are relatively insignificant, they have strong potential for development. Moreover, Tonga has a large wind energy production capacity and 90 % of the 11th set of EDF appropriations for 2014-2020, amounting to EUR 11 million, is earmarked for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

On a political level , the Kingdom of Tonga has been a constitutional monarchy, since the first democratic elections in 2010. The EU’s political dialogue with the various Pacific ACP countries and Tonga in particular is gradually increasing. Through a more structured dialogue, this Agreement may allow the EU to intensify our partnership, focusing on aspects such as abolition of the death penalty, combating violence against women and gender equality. The country has achieved considerable progress, as evidenced for example by the decision to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women. The visa exemption could send out a positive message of support for the country and the efforts it is making.

With regard to mobility , the information available indicates that confidence in visa applicants of Tonga is high and that few visa applications are rejected. In addition, migration flows have always been directed principally towards New Zealand, Australia and the United States and much less towards the EU. The country does not appear to present any threat in terms either of irregular migration, security or public policy.

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

called on the Commission to observe any developments in relation to the criteria on clandestine immigration, public policy and security, but also the Union’s external relations with the third countries concerned including, in particular, considerations relating to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; called on the Commission and the authorities of Tongo to ensure full reciprocity of the visa waiver, which should permit equal treatment of all citizens, particularly all citizens of the Union; encourage the Commission to review the composition of the joint management committees for future agreements in order for the European Parliament to be involved in the work of the Joint Committee.

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

Documents
A8-0179/2016
2016/05/09
   EP - Vote in committee
2016/03/11
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
PE573.180
2015/12/02
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2015/10/26
   EP - GABRIEL Mariya (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in LIBE
2015/10/21
   CSL - Legislative proposal
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga 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 has negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Tonga 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 conclude the Agreement on behalf of the European Union.

CONTENT: under this proposed Decision, the Council is called upon to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

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 further information concerning this Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative procedure dated 14.09.2015 ).

Territorial application : the provisions of the Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom nor to Ireland.

Joint Committee : 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
12089/2015
2015/10/20
   CSL - Supplementary legislative basic document
Documents
12087/2015
2015/10/20
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga 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 has negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Tonga 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 conclude the Agreement on behalf of the European Union.

CONTENT: under this proposed Decision, the Council is called upon to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

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 further information concerning this Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative procedure dated 14.09.2015 ).

Territorial application : the provisions of the Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom nor to Ireland.

Joint Committee : 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
12089/2015
2015/09/14
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
Documents
COM(2015)0434
EUR-Lex
2015/09/14
   EP - Preparatory document
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tonga were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. During that meeting the entire draft text could be reviewed and agreement was reached on all its aspects. After a number of subsequent informal exchanges, the agreement was initialled by an exchange of letters between the chief negotiators on 29 May 2015 (Tonga) and 10 June 2015 (Union) .

The Commission considered 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 the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tongo when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period .

In order to safeguard equal treatment of all EU citizens, a provision has been included in the agreement stating that Tonga 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.

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 Tonga to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (currently Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

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 Tongo remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. In order to ensure harmonised implementation, a joint declaration is attached to the agreement on the interpretation of the category of persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity.

Territorial application : in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Tongo 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
COM(2015)0433
EUR-Lex

Documents

Activities

Votes

A8-0179/2016 - Mariya Gabriel - approbation #

2016/06/08 Outcome: +: 595, -: 52, 0: 20
DE IT ES PL FR RO CZ PT HU BG NL GB SE BE FI HR LT AT SK IE SI EL DK LV LU MT EE CY
Total
87
64
48
48
69
28
21
21
19
17
25
47
18
18
11
11
10
18
10
9
8
18
13
7
6
6
5
5
icon: PPE PPE
197

Germany PPE

Abstain (1)

Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH
32

Italy PPE

13

Spain PPE

13

Poland PPE

22

France PPE

17

Romania PPE

10

Czechia PPE

7

Portugal PPE

7

Hungary PPE

11

Bulgaria PPE

7

Netherlands PPE

5

Sweden PPE

4

Belgium PPE

4

Finland PPE

3

Croatia PPE

5

Lithuania PPE

2

Austria PPE

5

Slovakia PPE

5

Ireland PPE

4

Slovenia PPE

5

Greece PPE

3

Denmark PPE

For (1)

Bendt BENDTSEN
1

Latvia PPE

4

Luxembourg PPE

3

Malta PPE

3

Estonia PPE

For (1)

Tunne KELAM
1

Cyprus PPE

1
icon: S&D S&D
172

Germany S&D

23

Italy S&D

28

Spain S&D

12

Poland S&D

5

France S&D

13

Romania S&D

14

Czechia S&D

4

Portugal S&D

8

Hungary S&D

4

Bulgaria S&D

4

Netherlands S&D

3

United Kingdom S&D

17

Sweden S&D

4

Belgium S&D

4

Finland S&D

1

Croatia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Austria S&D

5

Slovakia S&D

3

Ireland S&D

For (1)

Nessa CHILDERS
1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

Tanja FAJON
1

Greece S&D

3

Denmark S&D

3

Latvia S&D

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

Mady DELVAUX
1

Malta S&D

3

Estonia S&D

For (1)

Marju LAURISTIN
1

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: ALDE ALDE
63

Germany ALDE

3

Spain ALDE

8

France ALDE

7

Romania ALDE

2

Czechia ALDE

4

Portugal ALDE

2

Bulgaria ALDE

4

Netherlands ALDE

7

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Sweden ALDE

3

Belgium ALDE

4

Finland ALDE

3

Croatia ALDE

2

Lithuania ALDE

3

Austria ALDE

For (1)

Angelika MLINAR
1

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

Marian HARKIN
1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

Ivo VAJGL
1

Denmark ALDE

3

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

Charles GOERENS
1

Estonia ALDE

3
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
50

Germany GUE/NGL

8

Italy GUE/NGL

3

Spain GUE/NGL

11

France GUE/NGL

4

Czechia GUE/NGL

3

Portugal GUE/NGL

4

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

Anja HAZEKAMP

Against (1)

Anne-Marie MINEUR
2

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

Malin BJÖRK
1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

Merja KYLLÖNEN
1

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Greece GUE/NGL

6

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

Rina Ronja KARI
1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
45

Germany Verts/ALE

11

Spain Verts/ALE

4

France Verts/ALE

5

Hungary Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Sweden Verts/ALE

4

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

Heidi HAUTALA
1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

Davor ŠKRLEC
1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

Bronis ROPĖ
1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

Igor ŠOLTES
1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

Margrete AUKEN
1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

Claude TURMES
1
icon: ECR ECR
59

Germany ECR

6

Italy ECR

2

Poland ECR

17

Romania ECR

For (1)

Monica MACOVEI
1

Czechia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

2

United Kingdom ECR

12

Belgium ECR

3

Finland ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

Ruža TOMAŠIĆ
1

Lithuania ECR

1

Slovakia ECR

2

Greece ECR

Against (1)

Notis MARIAS
1

Denmark ECR

4

Latvia ECR

For (1)

Roberts ZĪLE
1
icon: EFDD EFDD
29

Germany EFDD

1

Italy EFDD

14

Poland EFDD

1

Czechia EFDD

For (1)

Petr MACH
1

United Kingdom EFDD

9

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

Rolandas PAKSAS
1
icon: NI NI
14

Germany NI

For (1)

Udo VOIGT

Against (1)

Martin SONNEBORN
2

Poland NI

1

France NI

3

Hungary NI

2

United Kingdom NI

Abstain (1)

Diane DODDS
1

Greece NI

5
icon: ENF ENF
38

Germany ENF

Against (1)

Marcus PRETZELL
1

Italy ENF

4

Poland ENF

2

France ENF

For (1)

Louis ALIOT
20

Romania ENF

Abstain (1)

Laurenţiu REBEGA
1

Netherlands ENF

4

United Kingdom ENF

Against (1)

Janice ATKINSON
1

Belgium ENF

Against (1)

Gerolf ANNEMANS
1

Austria ENF

4

History

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

2023-08-03Show (2) Changes | Timetravel
docs/2
date
2015-10-21T00:00:00
docs
url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=12089%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 12089/2015
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Legislative proposal
body
CSL
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Old
2015-10-21T00:00:00
New
2015-10-20T00:00:00
2021-12-18Show (9) Changes | Timetravel
committees/0/shadows/4
name
VERGIAT Marie-Christine
group
European United Left - Nordic Green Left
abbr
GUE/NGL
docs/2/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE573.180
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/LIBE-PR-573180_EN.html
events/2/type
Old
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
New
Committee referral announced in Parliament
events/3/type
Old
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee
events/4/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2016-0179_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2016-0179_EN.html
events/6
date
2016-06-08T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2016-0255_EN.html title: T8-0255/2016
summary
events/6
date
2016-06-08T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2016-0255_EN.html title: T8-0255/2016
summary
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
procedure/Other legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
2020-01-19Show (6) Changes | Timetravel
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
committee
LIBE
rapporteur
name: GABRIEL Mariya date: 2015-10-26T00:00:00 group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
committee
LIBE
date
2015-10-26T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: GABRIEL Mariya group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
events/0
date
2015-09-14T00:00:00
type
Preparatory document
body
EP
docs
summary
events/0
date
2015-09-14T00:00:00
type
Initial legislative proposal published
body
EC
docs
summary
events/4/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0179&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2016-0179_EN.html
events/6/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0255
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2016-0255_EN.html
2019-07-06Show (15) Changes | Timetravel
activities
  • date: 2015-09-14T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0433/COM_COM(2015)0433(ANN)_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0433 type: Initial legislative proposal published celexid: CELEX:52015PC0433:EN body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ title: Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris type: Initial legislative proposal published
  • date: 2015-10-21T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=12089%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC type: Legislative proposal published title: 12089/2015 body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ title: Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris type: Legislative proposal published
  • date: 2015-12-02T00:00:00 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: HYUSMENOVA Filiz group: ALDE name: MICHEL Louis group: GUE/NGL name: VERGIAT Marie-Christine group: Verts/ALE name: VALERO Bodil responsible: True committee: LIBE date: 2015-10-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: GABRIEL Mariya
  • date: 2016-05-09T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 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: HYUSMENOVA Filiz group: ALDE name: MICHEL Louis group: GUE/NGL name: VERGIAT Marie-Christine group: Verts/ALE name: VALERO Bodil responsible: True committee: LIBE date: 2015-10-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: GABRIEL Mariya
  • body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0179&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0179/2016 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 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: HYUSMENOVA Filiz group: ALDE name: MICHEL Louis group: GUE/NGL name: VERGIAT Marie-Christine group: Verts/ALE name: VALERO Bodil responsible: True committee: LIBE date: 2015-10-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: GABRIEL Mariya date: 2016-05-18T00:00:00
  • date: 2016-06-08T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0255 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0255/2016 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2016-09-20T00:00:00 body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 3484
  • date: 2016-09-20T00:00:00 body: EP type: End of procedure in Parliament
  • date: 2016-09-20T00:00:00 body: EP/CSL type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
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  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 3484 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=3484*&MEET_DATE=20/09/2016 date: 2016-09-20T00:00:00
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  • date: 2015-09-14T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0434/COM_COM(2015)0434(ANN)_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0434 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2015&nu_doc=0434 title: EUR-Lex type: Document attached to the procedure body: EC
  • date: 2015-10-20T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=12087%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 12087/2015 type: Supplementary legislative basic document body: CSL
  • date: 2016-03-11T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE573.180 title: PE573.180 type: Committee draft report body: EP
events
  • date: 2015-09-14T00:00:00 type: Initial legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0433/COM_COM(2015)0433(ANN)_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0433 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2015&nu_doc=0433 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tonga were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. During that meeting the entire draft text could be reviewed and agreement was reached on all its aspects. After a number of subsequent informal exchanges, the agreement was initialled by an exchange of letters between the chief negotiators on 29 May 2015 (Tonga) and 10 June 2015 (Union) . The Commission considered 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 the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tongo when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . In order to safeguard equal treatment of all EU citizens, a provision has been included in the agreement stating that Tonga 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. 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 Tonga to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (currently Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area. 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 Tongo remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. In order to ensure harmonised implementation, a joint declaration is attached to the agreement on the interpretation of the category of persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. Territorial application : in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Tongo 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: 2015-10-21T00:00:00 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=12089%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 12089/2015 summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga 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 has negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Tonga 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 conclude the Agreement on behalf of the European Union. CONTENT: under this proposed Decision, the Council is called upon to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver is hereby approved on behalf of the Union. 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 further information concerning this Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative procedure dated 14.09.2015 ). Territorial application : the provisions of the Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom nor to Ireland. Joint Committee : 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: 2015-12-02T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2016-05-09T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2016-05-18T00:00:00 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=A8-2016-0179&language=EN title: A8-0179/2016 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 Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver. The committee recommended that the European Parliament should give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement. To recall, the Agreement signed on 20 November 2015 provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Tongo 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 stipulating that this Agreement constitutes simultaneously represents a culmination of the deepening of relations between the European Union and Tonga 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. On an economic level , Tonga’s economy is based essentially on agriculture and fisheries (pumpkins and tuna), accounting for 20 % of GDP, and services, representing 60 % of GDP, including the progressively developing tourism sector. As regards investment and trade relations , these are currently unstable and low in terms of value and value and in relative terms. The main products exported from this country are unprocessed agricultural products such as palm oil and sugar, and the main products imported are boats and ships, with a trade surplus for the Pacific. While EU trade relations with Tonga are relatively insignificant, they have strong potential for development. Moreover, Tonga has a large wind energy production capacity and 90 % of the 11th set of EDF appropriations for 2014-2020, amounting to EUR 11 million, is earmarked for renewable energy and energy efficiency. On a political level , the Kingdom of Tonga has been a constitutional monarchy, since the first democratic elections in 2010. The EU’s political dialogue with the various Pacific ACP countries and Tonga in particular is gradually increasing. Through a more structured dialogue, this Agreement may allow the EU to intensify our partnership, focusing on aspects such as abolition of the death penalty, combating violence against women and gender equality. The country has achieved considerable progress, as evidenced for example by the decision to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women. The visa exemption could send out a positive message of support for the country and the efforts it is making. With regard to mobility , the information available indicates that confidence in visa applicants of Tonga is high and that few visa applications are rejected. In addition, migration flows have always been directed principally towards New Zealand, Australia and the United States and much less towards the EU. The country does not appear to present any threat in terms either of irregular migration, security or public policy. As regards the implementation and monitoring of the agreement : the rapporteur: called on the Commission to observe any developments in relation to the criteria on clandestine immigration, public policy and security, but also the Union’s external relations with the third countries concerned including, in particular, considerations relating to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; called on the Commission and the authorities of Tongo to ensure full reciprocity of the visa waiver, which should permit equal treatment of all citizens, particularly all citizens of the Union; encourage the Commission to review the composition of the joint management committees for future agreements in order for the European Parliament to be involved in the work of the Joint Committee. Lastly, the rapporteur queries the practice of signing visa waiver agreements and applying them provisionally before the European Parliament has approved them. This practice is liable to reduce Parliament’s room for manoeuvre.
  • date: 2016-06-08T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=27262&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2016-06-08T00:00:00 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-2016-0255 title: T8-0255/2016 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 595 votes to 52, with 20 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 Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver. In line with the recommendation made by the 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 Tonga 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 provisions of the Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom or Ireland.
  • date: 2016-09-20T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2016-09-20T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2016-09-30T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/1742 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver. CONTENT: with this Decision, the Agreement between the European Union and Tonga 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 Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver. This Agreement was signed and is applied on a provisional basis since 21 November 2015. The agreement provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Tonga when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period . A joint declaration on the interpretation of this period is attached to the agreement. The visa waiver covers all categories of persons (holders of ordinary, diplomatic, service/official and special passports) travelling for all kinds of purposes, except for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity . For this latter category, each Member State and Tonga remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. In order to ensure harmonised implementation, a joint declaration is attached to the agreement on the interpretation of the category of persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. The Member States and Tonga reserve the right to refuse entry into and short stay in their territories if one or more of these conditions is 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 the United Kingdom and Ireland do not take part. Therefore, these two countries are not bound by it or subject to its application. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20.9.2016. docs: title: Decision 2016/1742 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32016D1742 title: OJ L 264 30.09.2016, p. 0023 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2016:264:TOC
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  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ title: Migration and Home Affairs commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
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2016-10-02Show (3) Changes | Timetravel
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2016-09-29Show (4) Changes | Timetravel
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2016-06-22Show (4) Changes | Timetravel
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activities/5/docs/0/text

  • The European Parliament adopted by 595 votes to 52, with 20 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 Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver.

    In line with the recommendation made by the 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 Tonga 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 provisions of the Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom or Ireland.
2016-06-10Show (3) Changes | Timetravel
activities/5/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0255 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0255/2016
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2016-06-05Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
activities/4/docs/0/text

  • 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 Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver.

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

    To recall, the Agreement signed on 20 November 2015 provides for visa-free travel for the citizens of the European Union and for the citizens of Tongo 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 stipulating that this Agreement constitutes simultaneously represents a culmination of the deepening of relations between the European Union and Tonga 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.

    On an economic level, Tonga’s economy is based essentially on agriculture and fisheries (pumpkins and tuna), accounting for 20 % of GDP, and services, representing 60 % of GDP, including the progressively developing tourism sector.

    As regards investment and trade relations, these are currently unstable and low in terms of value and value and in relative terms. The main products exported from this country are unprocessed agricultural products such as palm oil and sugar, and the main products imported are boats and ships, with a trade surplus for the Pacific. While EU trade relations with Tonga are relatively insignificant, they have strong potential for development. Moreover, Tonga has a large wind energy production capacity and 90 % of the 11th set of EDF appropriations for 2014-2020, amounting to EUR 11 million, is earmarked for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

    On a political level, the Kingdom of Tonga has been a constitutional monarchy, since the first democratic elections in 2010. The EU’s political dialogue with the various Pacific ACP countries and Tonga in particular is gradually increasing. Through a more structured dialogue, this Agreement may allow the EU to intensify our partnership, focusing on aspects such as abolition of the death penalty, combating violence against women and gender equality. The country has achieved considerable progress, as evidenced for example by the decision to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women. The visa exemption could send out a positive message of support for the country and the efforts it is making. 

    With regard to mobility, the information available indicates that confidence in visa applicants of Tonga is high and that few visa applications are rejected. In addition, migration flows have always been directed principally towards New Zealand, Australia and the United States and much less towards the EU. The country does not appear to present any threat in terms either of irregular migration, security or public policy.  

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

    • called on the Commission to observe any developments in relation to the criteria on clandestine immigration, public policy and security, but also the Union’s external relations with the third countries concerned including, in particular, considerations relating to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
    • called on the Commission and the authorities of Tongo to ensure full reciprocity of the visa waiver, which should permit equal treatment of all citizens, particularly all citizens of the Union;
    • encourage the Commission to review the composition of the joint management committees for future agreements in order for the European Parliament to be involved in the work of the Joint Committee.

    Lastly, the rapporteur queries the practice of signing visa waiver agreements and applying them provisionally before the European Parliament has approved them. This practice is liable to reduce Parliament’s room for manoeuvre.
2016-05-28Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
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2016-05-26Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
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2016-05-19Show (2) Changes | Timetravel
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2016-04-29Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
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2015-12-11Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
activities/1/docs/0/text

  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga 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 has negotiated on behalf of the European Union an agreement with Tonga 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 conclude the Agreement on behalf of the European Union.

    CONTENT: under this proposed Decision, the Council is called upon to approve the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tonga on the short-stay visa waiver is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

    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 further information concerning this Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative procedure dated 14.09.2015).

    Territorial application: the provisions of the Agreement shall not apply to the United Kingdom nor to Ireland.

    Joint Committee: 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.
2015-12-08Show (3) Changes | Timetravel
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2015-12-04Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
activities/0/docs/0/text

  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tonga were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. During that meeting the entire draft text could be reviewed and agreement was reached on all its aspects. After a number of subsequent informal exchanges, the agreement was initialled by an exchange of letters between the chief negotiators on 29 May 2015 (Tonga) and 10 June 2015 (Union).

    The Commission considered 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 the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tongo when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period.

    In order to safeguard equal treatment of all EU citizens, a provision has been included in the agreement stating that Tonga 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.

    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 Tonga to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (currently Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

    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 Tongo remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. In order to ensure harmonised implementation, a joint declaration is attached to the agreement on the interpretation of the category of persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity.

    Territorial application: in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Tongo 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.

2015-12-01Show (4) Changes | Timetravel
activities/0/docs/0/text

  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tonga were opened on 19 November 2014 in Brussels. During that meeting the entire draft text could be reviewed and agreement was reached on all its aspects. After a number of subsequent informal exchanges, the agreement was initialled by an exchange of letters between the chief negotiators on 29 May 2015 (Tonga) and 10 June 2015 (Union).

    The Commission considered 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 the Kingdom of Tongo 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 Tongo when travelling to the territory of the other Contracting Party for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period.

    In order to safeguard equal treatment of all EU citizens, a provision has been included in the agreement stating that Tonga 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.

    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 Tonga to stay for 90 days in any 180-day on the territory of each of those Member States (currently Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), independently of the period calculated for the whole Schengen area.

    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 Tongo remain free to impose the visa requirement on the citizens of the other Party in accordance with the applicable Union or national law. In order to ensure harmonised implementation, a joint declaration is attached to the agreement on the interpretation of the category of persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity.

    Territorial application: in the case of France and the Netherlands, the visa waiver would entitle nationals of Tongo 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.
activities/0/docs/0/type
Old
Legislative proposal published
New
Initial legislative proposal published
activities/0/type
Old
Legislative proposal published
New
Initial legislative proposal published
activities/1
date
2015-10-21T00:00:00
docs
url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=12089%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC type: Legislative proposal published title: 12089/2015
type
Legislative proposal published
body
EC
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ title: Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
2015-11-26Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
committees/1/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
2015-11-17Show (2) Changes | Timetravel
committees/1/date
2015-10-26T00:00:00
committees/1/rapporteur
  • group: EPP name: GABRIEL Mariya
2015-11-04Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
activities/0/docs/0/celexid
CELEX:52015PC0433:EN
2015-11-04Show (5) Changes
activities
  • date: 2015-09-14T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0433/COM_COM(2015)0433(ANN)_EN.pdf type: Legislative proposal published title: COM(2015)0433 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ title: Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
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
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ title: Migration and Home Affairs commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
procedure
geographical_area
Tonga
reference
2015/0196(NLE)
title
EU/Tonga Agreement: short-stay visa waiver
legal_basis
stage_reached
Preparatory phase in Parliament
subtype
Consent by Parliament
type
NLE - Non-legislative enactments
subject
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