BETA


2016/0141(COD) Third countries whose nationals are subject to or exempt from a visa requirement: Turkey

Progress: Preparatory phase in Parliament

Legal Basis:
TFEU 077-p2

Events

2016/10/21
   PT_PARLIAMENT - Contribution
Documents
2016/06/10
   CSL - Debate in Council
Documents
2016/06/10
   CSL - Council Meeting
2016/05/20
   CSL - Debate in Council
Documents
2016/05/20
   CSL - Council Meeting
2016/05/04
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 in order to allow Turkish nationals to be exempted from the visa requirement when travelling to the EU Member States.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 lists the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. It is applied by all Member States – with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom – and also by Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Turkey is currently listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 , i.e. among those countries whose nationals are required to hold a visa when travelling to the territory of EU Member States.

On 16 December 2013 the European Union (EU) and Turkey launched the Visa Liberalisation Dialogue (VLD), in parallel with the signature of the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement.

The dialogue is based on the Roadmap towards a visa free regime with Turkey, a document setting out the requirements that Turkey needs to meet in order to allow Turkish citizens holding biometric passports in line with EU standards to travel to the Member States without a visa for short stays (i.e. up to 90 days within any 180-day period).

Following the EU-Turkey Summits on 29 November 2015 and on 18 March 2016, it was agreed that the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation roadmap will be accelerated vis-à-vis all participating Member States with a view to lifting the visa requirements for Turkish nationals at the latest by the end of June 2016.

The Commission invites the Turkish authorities to urgently undertake the measures that are necessary to fulfil the other outstanding benchmarks of the Roadmap, namely:

upgrading the existing biometric passports; fully implementing the provisions of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement; adopting the measures to prevent corruption; aligning the legislation on personal data protection to EU standards; negotiating an operational cooperation agreement with Europol; offering effective judicial cooperation in criminal matters to all EU Member States; revising the legislation and practices on terrorism in line with European standards.

On the understanding that the Turkish authorities shall fulfil, as a matter of urgency and as they committed to do so on 18 March 2016, the outstanding benchmarks of the Roadmap, the Commission has decided to present the proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 to lift the visa requirement for Turkish citizens who are holders of a biometric passport in line with EU standards.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes to amend Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 by transferring Turkey from Annex I (list of visa-required countries) to Annex II (list of visa-free countries) . In line with the Roadmap, a footnote will be added specifying that the visa exemption applies to holders of biometric passports issued in line with the standards of Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 , in particular with encryption of fingerprints by Supplementary Access Control (SAC).

Turkey has informed the Commission that it will complete all necessary reforms to issue fully EU-compliant biometric passports by the end of 2016. Therefore the visa exemption will exceptionally also apply to holders of biometric passports to be issued in line with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), provided that they were issued between 1 June 2016 and 31 December 2016. This exception will expire on 31 December 2017.

Documents

History

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

docs/0
date
2016-05-04T00:00:00
docs
summary
type
Legislative proposal
body
EC
events/0
date
2016-05-04T00:00:00
type
Legislative proposal published
body
EC
docs
summary
activities
  • date: 2016-05-04T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2016/0279/COM_COM(2016)0279_EN.pdf title: COM(2016)0279 type: Legislative proposal published celexid: CELEX:52016PC0279:EN body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/migration-and-home-affairs_en title: Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris type: Legislative proposal published
  • body: CSL meeting_id: 3465 docs: 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=3465*&MEET_DATE=20/05/2016 type: Debate in Council title: 3465 council: Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) date: 2016-05-20T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
  • body: CSL meeting_id: 3473 docs: 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=3473*&MEET_DATE=10/06/2016 type: Debate in Council title: 3473 council: Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) date: 2016-06-10T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
commission
  • body: EC dg: Migration and Home Affairs commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
committees
    council
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) meeting_id: 3473 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=3473*&MEET_DATE=10/06/2016 date: 2016-06-10T00:00:00
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) meeting_id: 3465 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=3465*&MEET_DATE=20/05/2016 date: 2016-05-20T00:00:00
    docs
    • date: 2016-10-21T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.connefof.europarl.europa.eu/connefof/app/exp/COM(2016)0279 title: COM(2016)0279 type: Contribution body: PT_PARLIAMENT
    events
    • date: 2016-05-04T00:00:00 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2016/0279/COM_COM(2016)0279_EN.pdf title: COM(2016)0279 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2016&nu_doc=0279 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 in order to allow Turkish nationals to be exempted from the visa requirement when travelling to the EU Member States. PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 lists the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. It is applied by all Member States – with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom – and also by Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Turkey is currently listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 , i.e. among those countries whose nationals are required to hold a visa when travelling to the territory of EU Member States. On 16 December 2013 the European Union (EU) and Turkey launched the Visa Liberalisation Dialogue (VLD), in parallel with the signature of the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement. The dialogue is based on the Roadmap towards a visa free regime with Turkey, a document setting out the requirements that Turkey needs to meet in order to allow Turkish citizens holding biometric passports in line with EU standards to travel to the Member States without a visa for short stays (i.e. up to 90 days within any 180-day period). Following the EU-Turkey Summits on 29 November 2015 and on 18 March 2016, it was agreed that the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation roadmap will be accelerated vis-à-vis all participating Member States with a view to lifting the visa requirements for Turkish nationals at the latest by the end of June 2016. The Commission invites the Turkish authorities to urgently undertake the measures that are necessary to fulfil the other outstanding benchmarks of the Roadmap, namely: upgrading the existing biometric passports; fully implementing the provisions of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement; adopting the measures to prevent corruption; aligning the legislation on personal data protection to EU standards; negotiating an operational cooperation agreement with Europol; offering effective judicial cooperation in criminal matters to all EU Member States; revising the legislation and practices on terrorism in line with European standards. On the understanding that the Turkish authorities shall fulfil, as a matter of urgency and as they committed to do so on 18 March 2016, the outstanding benchmarks of the Roadmap, the Commission has decided to present the proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 to lift the visa requirement for Turkish citizens who are holders of a biometric passport in line with EU standards. CONTENT: the Commission proposes to amend Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 by transferring Turkey from Annex I (list of visa-required countries) to Annex II (list of visa-free countries) . In line with the Roadmap, a footnote will be added specifying that the visa exemption applies to holders of biometric passports issued in line with the standards of Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 , in particular with encryption of fingerprints by Supplementary Access Control (SAC). Turkey has informed the Commission that it will complete all necessary reforms to issue fully EU-compliant biometric passports by the end of 2016. Therefore the visa exemption will exceptionally also apply to holders of biometric passports to be issued in line with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), provided that they were issued between 1 June 2016 and 31 December 2016. This exception will expire on 31 December 2017.
    • date: 2016-05-20T00:00:00 type: Debate in Council body: CSL docs: 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=3465*&MEET_DATE=20/05/2016 title: 3465
    • date: 2016-06-10T00:00:00 type: Debate in Council body: CSL docs: 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=3473*&MEET_DATE=10/06/2016 title: 3473
    links
    other
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Former Council configuration
    • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/migration-and-home-affairs_en title: Migration and Home Affairs commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
    procedure/instrument
    Old
    Regulation
    New
    • Regulation
    • Amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 2000/0030(CNS)
    procedure/subject
    Old
    • 7.10.04 External borders crossing and controls, visas
    New
    7.10.04
    External borders crossing and controls, visas
    procedure/summary
    • Amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001
    committees/0
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    committee_full
    Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
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    LIBE
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    New
    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2016/0279/COM_COM(2016)0279_EN.pdf
    activities/1/council
    Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)
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    • 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=3465*&MEET_DATE=20/05/2016 type: Debate in Council title: 3465
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    • 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=3473*&MEET_DATE=10/06/2016 type: Debate in Council title: 3473
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    activities/0/docs/0/text
    • PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 in order to allow Turkish nationals to be exempted from the visa requirement when travelling to the EU Member States.

      PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

      ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

      BACKGROUND: Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 lists the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. It is applied by all Member States – with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom – and also by Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

      Turkey is currently listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 539/2001, i.e. among those countries whose nationals are required to hold a visa when travelling to the territory of EU Member States.

      On 16 December 2013 the European Union (EU) and Turkey launched the Visa Liberalisation Dialogue (VLD), in parallel with the signature of the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement.

      The dialogue is based on the Roadmap towards a visa free regime with Turkey, a document setting out the requirements that Turkey needs to meet in order to allow Turkish citizens holding biometric passports in line with EU standards to travel to the Member States without a visa for short stays (i.e. up to 90 days within any 180-day period).

      Following the EU-Turkey Summits on 29 November 2015 and on 18 March 2016, it was agreed that the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation roadmap will be accelerated vis-à-vis all participating Member States with a view to lifting the visa requirements for Turkish nationals at the latest by the end of June 2016.

      The Commission invites the Turkish authorities to urgently undertake the measures that are necessary to fulfil the other outstanding benchmarks of the Roadmap, namely:

      • upgrading the existing biometric passports;
      • fully implementing the provisions of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement;
      • adopting the measures to prevent corruption;
      • aligning the legislation on personal data protection to EU standards;
      • negotiating an operational cooperation agreement with Europol;
      • offering effective judicial cooperation in criminal matters to all EU Member States;
      • revising the legislation and practices on terrorism in line with European standards.

      On the understanding that the Turkish authorities shall fulfil, as a matter of urgency and as they committed to do so on 18 March 2016, the outstanding benchmarks of the Roadmap, the Commission has decided to present the proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 to lift the visa requirement for Turkish citizens who are holders of a biometric passport in line with EU standards.

      CONTENT: the Commission proposes to amend Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 by transferring Turkey from Annex I (list of visa-required countries) to Annex II (list of visa-free countries). In line with the Roadmap, a footnote will be added specifying that the visa exemption applies to holders of biometric passports issued in line with the standards of Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004, in particular with encryption of fingerprints by Supplementary Access Control (SAC).

      Turkey has informed the Commission that it will complete all necessary reforms to issue fully EU-compliant biometric passports by the end of 2016. Therefore the visa exemption will exceptionally also apply to holders of biometric passports to be issued in line with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), provided that they were issued between 1 June 2016 and 31 December 2016. This exception will expire on 31 December 2017.

    activities
    • date: 2016-05-04T00:00:00 docs: url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2016&nu_doc=0279 celexid: CELEX:52016PC0279:EN type: Legislative proposal published title: COM(2016)0279 body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/migration-and-home-affairs_en title: Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris type: Legislative proposal published
    • date: 2016-05-20T00:00:00 body: CSL type: Debate in Council
    • date: 2016-06-10T00:00:00 body: CSL type: Debate in Council
    committees
    • body: EP responsible: True committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee: LIBE
    links
    other
    • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/migration-and-home-affairs_en title: Migration and Home Affairs commissioner: AVRAMOPOULOS Dimitris
    procedure
    geographical_area
    Turkey
    reference
    2016/0141(COD)
    instrument
    Regulation
    legal_basis
    Treaty on the Functioning of the EU TFEU 077-p2
    stage_reached
    Preparatory phase in Parliament
    summary
    Amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001
    subtype
    Legislation
    title
    Third countries whose nationals are subject to or exempt from a visa requirement: Turkey
    type
    COD - Ordinary legislative procedure (ex-codecision procedure)
    subject
    7.10.04 External borders crossing and controls, visas