“I strongly welcome today’s endorsement by the Council of the Commission’s proposal to reinforce the visa suspension mechanism and ensure stronger safeguards for our visa policy. The revised mechanism will significantly strengthen and increase the effectiveness of the EU’s visa liberalisation policy by allowing us to react quickly if a situation arises which could lead to a substantial increase in irregular migration or an increased risk to the internal security of Member States.
By establishing a faster procedure, based on well-defined criteria, the new mechanism will make it easier for Member States to temporarily reintroduce the visa requirement and to swiftly remedy a situation with a sudden and substantial increase in irregular migration, unfounded asylum applications from visa-free travellers, a lack of cooperation on readmission on behalf of third countries or an increased risk or imminent threat to the internal security of one or more Member States. It will now also be possible for the Commission to trigger the suspension mechanism on its own initiative if a situation so requires.
With today’s final adoption, we have together succeeded in making the suspension mechanism a more effective instrument for our common visa policy thanks to a flexible approach and a proportionate reaction in cases where a temporary suspension of visa-free travel is justified. In parallel, the new procedure will also allow us to maintain a strong dialogue and cooperation with visa-free third-countries, with the objective of safeguarding and strengthening visa-free travel to the EU for its citizens.
The European Union is offering visa-free travel to the citizens of many third countries, including in the European neighbourhood. Our common visa policy is key to strengthening our ties with third countries and enabling greater personal contact between our citizens. For the EU to safeguard and maintain this visa policy, it is necessary to be able to react swiftly to avoid and counter any potential abuses of the visa exemption.”