BETA


2018/0390(COD) Third countries whose nationals are subject to or exempt from a visa requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead LIBE STANISHEV Sergei (icon: S&D S&D) CSÁKY Pál (icon: PPE PPE), STEVENS Helga (icon: ECR ECR), JEŽEK Petr (icon: ALDE ALDE), KELLER Ska (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), ZIJLSTRA Auke (icon: ENF ENF)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 077-p2

Events

2019/06/12
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2019/04/12
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

PURPOSE: to provide UK citizens with the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2019/592 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union.

CONTENT: This Regulation stipulates that, following Brexit, United Kingdom citizens entering the Schengen area for a short stay (90 days in any 180-day period) shall benefit from visa-free travel.

The existing rules provide for two lists on one of which all third-country nationals are automatically included: on the one hand, the list of third countries whose nationals are subject to a visa requirement and, on the other hand, the list of those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. After Brexit, the United Kingdom becoming a third country shall be included in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement).

The visa waiver is based on the expectation that the United Kingdom shall grant full visa reciprocity to nationals of all Member States. If the United Kingdom were to reintroduce a visa requirement for nationals of at least one Member State, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in EU legislation should apply.

The Commission shall monitor the respect of the principle of reciprocity on a continuous basis and immediately inform the European Parliament and the Council of any developments which could endanger the respect of that principle.

Visa exemption shall be applicable in all EU Member States (except Ireland, which has its own visa policy) and in the countries associated with the Schengen area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

The addition of the United Kingdom to Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 will not cover British overseas territories citizens who have acquired their citizenship from a connection with Gibraltar. Gibraltar shall thus be listed along with other British overseas territories in Part 3 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806.

The regulations specify that Gibraltar is a colony of the British Crown. There is a controversy between Spain and the United Kingdom concerning the sovereignty over Gibraltar, a territory for which a solution has to be reached in light of the relevant resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: the day following the day on which Union law ceases to apply in the United Kingdom.

2019/04/10
   CSL - Draft final act
Documents
2019/04/10
   CSL - Final act signed
2019/04/10
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2019/04/09
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading
2019/04/09
   CSL - Council Meeting
2019/04/04
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2019/04/04
   EP - Decision by Parliament, 1st reading
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 502 votes to 81, with 29 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union.

The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure.

The draft legislative act aims to clarify the situation of United Kingdom nationals once EU law ceases to apply to them with regard to visa policy. It provides for the United Kingdom to be included in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement) with regard to United Kingdom citizens.

Thus, from the day after the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, British citizens would not need a visa when travelling to the EU for short stays of up to 90 days over a period of 180 days.

The visa waiver is based on the expectation that the United Kingdom will grant full visa reciprocity to nationals of all Member States. If the United Kingdom were to reintroduce a visa requirement for nationals of at least one Member State, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in EU legislation should apply.

The Commission should monitor the respect of the principle of reciprocity on a continuous basis and immediately inform the European Parliament and the Council of any developments which could endanger the respect of that principle.

Visa exemption would be applicable in all EU Member States (except Ireland, which has its own visa policy) and in the countries associated with the Schengen area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

The addition of the United Kingdom to Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 will not cover British overseas territories citizens who have acquired their citizenship from a connection with Gibraltar. Gibraltar should thus be listed along with other British overseas territories in Part 3 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806.

The amended text stipulates that Gibraltar is a colony of the British Crown. There is a controversy between Spain and the United Kingdom concerning the sovereignty over Gibraltar, a territory for which a solution has to be reached in light of the relevant resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Documents
2019/04/03
   CSL - Coreper letter confirming interinstitutional agreement
2019/04/03
   EP - Text agreed during interinstitutional negotiations
Documents
2019/04/02
   EP - Approval in committee of the text agreed at 1st reading interinstitutional negotiations
2019/04/01
   EP - STANISHEV Sergei (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in LIBE
2019/02/11
   EP - Committee decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations confirmed by plenary (Rule 71)
2019/01/30
   EP - Committee decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations announced in plenary (Rule 71)
2019/01/29
   EP - Vote in committee, 1st reading
2019/01/29
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading
Details

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Claude MORAES (S&D, UK) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union.

This Commission proposal is part of the legislative measures necessary to adjust Union law to Brexit. It aims to clarify the situation of UK nationals when Union law ceases to apply to them as regards visa policy.

The Commission proposes to insert the United Kingdom as regards British citizens into Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement).

The committee recommended that the European Parliament adopt its position at first reading by specifying in a recital that this decision is based on the expectation that, in the interest of maintaining close relations, the United Kingdom will grant full visa reciprocity to the nationals of all Member States.

In case the United Kingdom introduces a visa requirement for nationals of at least one Member State in the future, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 should apply. The Commission should monitor the respect of the principle of reciprocity on a continuous basis and immediately inform the European Parliament and the Council of any developments which could endanger the respect of this principle.

Documents
2019/01/29
   EP - Committee decision to open interinstitutional negotiations with report adopted in committee
2019/01/16
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2018/12/12
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2018/11/28
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading
2018/11/13
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to provide UK citizens with the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

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

BACKGROUND: under Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, EU citizens have the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, including the right to enter Member States without visas or equivalent formalities.

Following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union, the Treaty and Directive 2004/38/EC will cease to apply to United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens , and the right of those citizens to enter Member States without a visa will cease to apply.

It is therefore necessary to include the United Kingdom in one of the Annexes to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 . Annex I lists the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and Annex II lists those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

IMPACT ANALYSIS: No full impact analysis has been carried out. There are only two options: to include United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens in Annex I (visa requirement) of Regulation (EC) No 539/2001, or to include them in Annex II (visa exemption) of the Regulation

The Commission has concluded that United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens should be exempt from the visa requirement when travelling to the Union for short stays.

Given the geographical proximity, the link between economies, the level of trade and the volume of short-term travel by people between the United Kingdom and the Union for business, leisure or other purposes, the possibility of visa-free travel should facilitate tourism and economic activity, which should benefit the Union.

As the United Kingdom is classified as a high-income economy by the World Bank and is part of the OECD, its profile is that of a country with, in principle, a low risk of irregular migration to the Union.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes to include the United Kingdom in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement) as regards British citizens.

This would mean that UK citizens would not need a visa to travel for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. This regime would apply from 30 March 2019 . However, if an agreement is reached, it would apply from the end of the transitional period, as indicated in the withdrawal agreement.

The proposal is subject to the condition that the United Kingdom grants reciprocal and non-discriminatory visa-free travel to all EU Member States.

The United Kingdom Government has announced its intention not to require EU-27 citizens to be in possession of a visa when travelling to the United Kingdom for short business or tourist stays, from the date on which EU law ceases to apply in the United Kingdom. In the event that the United Kingdom imposes a visa requirement on nationals of at least one Member State, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 shall apply.

Documents

Votes

A8-0047/2019 - Sergei Stanishev - Am 3 #

2019/04/04 Outcome: +: 502, -: 81, 0: 29
DE IT PL FR ES RO BE PT BG NL SE CZ AT FI HU DK HR IE SI MT LU EE LT SK LV EL CY GB
Total
83
56
45
58
42
25
20
21
17
24
17
18
17
11
15
12
9
10
7
6
5
4
10
9
7
10
2
51
icon: PPE PPE
171

Finland PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

3

Slovakia PPE

3

Greece PPE

For (1)

1

United Kingdom PPE

Against (1)

2
icon: S&D S&D
161

Netherlands S&D

3

Czechia S&D

3
4

Denmark S&D

Against (1)

3

Croatia S&D

2

Ireland S&D

Against (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Malta S&D

3

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

4

Latvia S&D

1

Greece S&D

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
63

Germany ALDE

For (1)

3

Romania ALDE

Against (1)

3

Portugal ALDE

1

Sweden ALDE

Against (1)

3

Czechia ALDE

4

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Croatia ALDE

2

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

3

Lithuania ALDE

3

United Kingdom ALDE

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
41

Italy GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

2

Netherlands GUE/NGL

3

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
46

Italy Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
4

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Hungary Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

Against (1)

6
icon: ECR ECR
60

Italy ECR

2

Romania ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

2

Sweden ECR

2

Czechia ECR

Abstain (1)

2

Finland ECR

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

2

Latvia ECR

Abstain (1)

1
icon: EFDD EFDD
28

Poland EFDD

1

Czechia EFDD

For (1)

1

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
13

Germany NI

Against (1)

2

Italy NI

For (1)

1

Poland NI

Abstain (1)

1

France NI

Against (1)

1

Hungary NI

For (1)

1

Denmark NI

1

United Kingdom NI

Against (2)

2
icon: ENF ENF
28

Poland ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Belgium ENF

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

4

United Kingdom ENF

2
AmendmentsDossier
12 2018/0390(COD)
2019/01/16 LIBE 12 amendments...
source: 632.961

History

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

docs/0/docs/0/url
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  • date: 2018-11-28T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: True committee: LIBE date: 2018-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs rapporteur: group: S&D name: MORAES Claude
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council
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  • date: 2019-01-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE632.961 title: PE632.961 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2019-04-03T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/commissions/libe/lcag/2019/04-03/LIBE_LA(2019)003076_EN.pdf title: GEDA/A/(2019)003076 type: Coreper letter confirming interinstitutional agreement body: CSL
  • date: 2019-04-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=[%n4]%2F19&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 00071/2019/LEX type: Draft final act body: CSL
events
  • date: 2018-11-13T00:00:00 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2018/0745/COM_COM(2018)0745_EN.pdf title: COM(2018)0745 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2018&nu_doc=0745 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to provide UK citizens with the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: under Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, EU citizens have the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, including the right to enter Member States without visas or equivalent formalities. Following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union, the Treaty and Directive 2004/38/EC will cease to apply to United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens , and the right of those citizens to enter Member States without a visa will cease to apply. It is therefore necessary to include the United Kingdom in one of the Annexes to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 . Annex I lists the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and Annex II lists those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. IMPACT ANALYSIS: No full impact analysis has been carried out. There are only two options: to include United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens in Annex I (visa requirement) of Regulation (EC) No 539/2001, or to include them in Annex II (visa exemption) of the Regulation The Commission has concluded that United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens should be exempt from the visa requirement when travelling to the Union for short stays. Given the geographical proximity, the link between economies, the level of trade and the volume of short-term travel by people between the United Kingdom and the Union for business, leisure or other purposes, the possibility of visa-free travel should facilitate tourism and economic activity, which should benefit the Union. As the United Kingdom is classified as a high-income economy by the World Bank and is part of the OECD, its profile is that of a country with, in principle, a low risk of irregular migration to the Union. CONTENT: the Commission proposes to include the United Kingdom in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement) as regards British citizens. This would mean that UK citizens would not need a visa to travel for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. This regime would apply from 30 March 2019 . However, if an agreement is reached, it would apply from the end of the transitional period, as indicated in the withdrawal agreement. The proposal is subject to the condition that the United Kingdom grants reciprocal and non-discriminatory visa-free travel to all EU Member States. The United Kingdom Government has announced its intention not to require EU-27 citizens to be in possession of a visa when travelling to the United Kingdom for short business or tourist stays, from the date on which EU law ceases to apply in the United Kingdom. In the event that the United Kingdom imposes a visa requirement on nationals of at least one Member State, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 shall apply.
  • date: 2018-11-28T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2019-01-29T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2019-01-29T00:00:00 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=A8-2019-0047&language=EN title: A8-0047/2019 summary: The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Claude MORAES (S&D, UK) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union. This Commission proposal is part of the legislative measures necessary to adjust Union law to Brexit. It aims to clarify the situation of UK nationals when Union law ceases to apply to them as regards visa policy. The Commission proposes to insert the United Kingdom as regards British citizens into Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement). The committee recommended that the European Parliament adopt its position at first reading by specifying in a recital that this decision is based on the expectation that, in the interest of maintaining close relations, the United Kingdom will grant full visa reciprocity to the nationals of all Member States. In case the United Kingdom introduces a visa requirement for nationals of at least one Member State in the future, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 should apply. The Commission should monitor the respect of the principle of reciprocity on a continuous basis and immediately inform the European Parliament and the Council of any developments which could endanger the respect of this principle.
  • date: 2019-01-29T00:00:00 type: Committee decision to open interinstitutional negotiations with report adopted in committee body: EP
  • date: 2019-04-03T00:00:00 type: Approval in committee of the text agreed at 1st reading interinstitutional negotiations body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/commissions/libe/inag/2019/04-03/LIBE_AG(2019)638466_EN.pdf title: PE638.466 url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/commissions/libe/lcag/2019/04-03/LIBE_LA(2019)003076_EN.pdf title: GEDA/A/(2019)003076
  • date: 2019-04-04T00:00:00 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-2019-0336 title: T8-0336/2019 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 502 votes to 81, with 29 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union. The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure. The draft legislative act aims to clarify the situation of United Kingdom nationals once EU law ceases to apply to them with regard to visa policy. It provides for the United Kingdom to be included in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement) with regard to United Kingdom citizens. Thus, from the day after the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, British citizens would not need a visa when travelling to the EU for short stays of up to 90 days over a period of 180 days. The visa waiver is based on the expectation that the United Kingdom will grant full visa reciprocity to nationals of all Member States. If the United Kingdom were to reintroduce a visa requirement for nationals of at least one Member State, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in EU legislation should apply. The Commission should monitor the respect of the principle of reciprocity on a continuous basis and immediately inform the European Parliament and the Council of any developments which could endanger the respect of that principle. Visa exemption would be applicable in all EU Member States (except Ireland, which has its own visa policy) and in the countries associated with the Schengen area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). The addition of the United Kingdom to Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 will not cover British overseas territories citizens who have acquired their citizenship from a connection with Gibraltar. Gibraltar should thus be listed along with other British overseas territories in Part 3 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. The amended text stipulates that Gibraltar is a colony of the British Crown. There is a controversy between Spain and the United Kingdom concerning the sovereignty over Gibraltar, a territory for which a solution has to be reached in light of the relevant resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
  • date: 2019-04-09T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2019-04-10T00:00:00 type: Final act signed body: CSL
  • date: 2019-04-10T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2019-04-12T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to provide UK citizens with the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2019/592 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union. CONTENT: This Regulation stipulates that, following Brexit, United Kingdom citizens entering the Schengen area for a short stay (90 days in any 180-day period) shall benefit from visa-free travel. The existing rules provide for two lists on one of which all third-country nationals are automatically included: on the one hand, the list of third countries whose nationals are subject to a visa requirement and, on the other hand, the list of those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. After Brexit, the United Kingdom becoming a third country shall be included in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement). The visa waiver is based on the expectation that the United Kingdom shall grant full visa reciprocity to nationals of all Member States. If the United Kingdom were to reintroduce a visa requirement for nationals of at least one Member State, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in EU legislation should apply. The Commission shall monitor the respect of the principle of reciprocity on a continuous basis and immediately inform the European Parliament and the Council of any developments which could endanger the respect of that principle. Visa exemption shall be applicable in all EU Member States (except Ireland, which has its own visa policy) and in the countries associated with the Schengen area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). The addition of the United Kingdom to Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 will not cover British overseas territories citizens who have acquired their citizenship from a connection with Gibraltar. Gibraltar shall thus be listed along with other British overseas territories in Part 3 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. The regulations specify that Gibraltar is a colony of the British Crown. There is a controversy between Spain and the United Kingdom concerning the sovereignty over Gibraltar, a territory for which a solution has to be reached in light of the relevant resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly of the United Nations. ENTRY INTO FORCE: the day following the day on which Union law ceases to apply in the United Kingdom. docs: title: Regulation 2019/592 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32019R0592 title: OJ L 103I 12.04.2019, p. 0001 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2019:103I:TOC
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/secretariat-general_en title: Secretariat-General commissioner: TIMMERMANS Frans
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
procedure/Notes
  • 01/02/2019 Decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations confirmed by plenary (Rule 69c)
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
Old
LIBE/8/15008
New
  • LIBE/8/15008
procedure/final
title
Regulation 2019/592
url
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32019R0592
procedure/instrument
Old
Regulation
New
  • Regulation
  • Amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 2000/0030(CNS)
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Procedure completed
procedure/subject
Old
  • 7.10.04 External borders crossing and controls, visas
New
7.10.04
External borders crossing and controls, visas
procedure/title
Old
Third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
New
Third countries whose nationals are subject to or exempt from a visa requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
activities/0/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to provide UK citizens with the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

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

    BACKGROUND: under Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, EU citizens have the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, including the right to enter Member States without visas or equivalent formalities.

    Following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union, the Treaty and Directive 2004/38/EC will cease to apply to United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens, and the right of those citizens to enter Member States without a visa will cease to apply.

    It is therefore necessary to include the United Kingdom in one of the Annexes to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001. Annex I lists the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and Annex II lists those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

    IMPACT ANALYSIS: No full impact analysis has been carried out. There are only two options: to include United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens in Annex I (visa requirement) of Regulation (EC) No 539/2001, or to include them in Annex II (visa exemption) of the Regulation

    The Commission has concluded that United Kingdom nationals who are British citizens should be exempt from the visa requirement when travelling to the Union for short stays.

    Given the geographical proximity, the link between economies, the level of trade and the volume of short-term travel by people between the United Kingdom and the Union for business, leisure or other purposes, the possibility of visa-free travel should facilitate tourism and economic activity, which should benefit the Union.

    As the United Kingdom is classified as a high-income economy by the World Bank and is part of the OECD, its profile is that of a country with, in principle, a low risk of irregular migration to the Union.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes to include the United Kingdom in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 (i.e. in the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement) as regards British citizens.

    This would mean that UK citizens would not need a visa to travel for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. This regime would apply from 30 March 2019. However, if an agreement is reached, it would apply from the end of the transitional period, as indicated in the withdrawal agreement.

    The proposal is subject to the condition that the United Kingdom grants reciprocal and non-discriminatory visa-free travel to all EU Member States.

    The United Kingdom Government has announced its intention not to require EU-27 citizens to be in possession of a visa when travelling to the United Kingdom for short business or tourist stays, from the date on which EU law ceases to apply in the United Kingdom. In the event that the United Kingdom imposes a visa requirement on nationals of at least one Member State, the reciprocity mechanism provided for in Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 shall apply.

procedure/title
Old
Listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
New
Third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
activities/0/commission/0
DG
Commissioner
TIMMERMANS Frans
activities/1
date
2018-11-28T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
committees
body: EP responsible: True committee: LIBE date: 2018-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs rapporteur: group: S&D name: MORAES Claude
other/0
body
EC
dg
commissioner
TIMMERMANS Frans
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
LIBE/8/15008
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Preparatory phase in Parliament
New
Awaiting committee decision
procedure/title
Old
Listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
New
Listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
activities
  • date: 2018-11-13T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2018/0745/COM_COM(2018)0745_EN.pdf celexid: CELEX:52018PC0745:EN type: Legislative proposal published title: COM(2018)0745 body: EC commission: type: Legislative proposal published
committees
  • body: EP responsible: True committee: LIBE date: 2018-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs rapporteur: group: S&D name: MORAES Claude
links
other
    procedure
    geographical_area
    United Kingdom
    reference
    2018/0390(COD)
    instrument
    Regulation
    legal_basis
    Treaty on the Functioning of the EU TFEU 077-p2
    stage_reached
    Preparatory phase in Parliament
    subtype
    Legislation
    title
    Listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
    type
    COD - Ordinary legislative procedure (ex-codecision procedure)
    subject
    7.10.04 External borders crossing and controls, visas