During the meeting today, 14 March, 2014, of the European Union Council, in the format of the Ministers of Transport, the EU Member States supported the Commission's proposal to cancel the visas for short trips (for stays of up to 90 days during 6 months) in the Schengen area for the citizens of Moldova, holders of biometric passports.
The adoption of the respective proposal by EU Member States ends deliberative phase of the decisional procedure of EU on visa regime liberalization.
After the finalization of the decision adoption procedure at the level of the Presidents of the EU Council and the European Parliament by signing by them of the EU Regulation 539/2001, amended following the procedure of co -decision, it shall be submitted for publication in the EU Official Journal.
We shall remind that the amended Regulation shall enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Additional Information:
On 27 November 2013 the European Commission proposed the liberalization of the visa regime for Moldovan citizens by amending Regulation 539/2001 on the abolition of visa requirement for Schengen area for short-term travel for Moldovans who hold biometric passports. This proposal is based on the outcome of the 5th Progress Report of the European Commission regarding the implementation of the RM-EU Action Plan on visa liberalization of 15 November, 2013, which confirmed that Republic of Moldova has met all conditionalities of this Action Plan.
On 20 December 2013 in Brussels, EU Member States ambassadors on the basis of the initiative of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU sustained the European Commission's proposal on amending EU Regulation 539/2001 on the liberalization of the visa regime for the Moldovan citizens for short stay traveling in Schengen area.