Czech Presidency of Council of EU Supports France’s Proposal to Link Kosovo’s Visa Liberalisation Process With the Operationalisation of ETIAS
The Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union has supported the proposal of France that Kosovo’s visa liberalisation process be linked with the operationalisation of the European Travel and Information System (ETIAS).
Such an announcement has been made by a recent report of Radio Free Europe (RFL), SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
During the meeting of the working group held in Brussels on October 13, it was reported that France proposed that Kosovo’s much sought-after visa liberalisation process be linked with the operationalisation of ETIAS.
In addition, it was reported that France’s proposal was backed by at least four European Union Member States: Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweeden.
Radio Free Europe has had access to the document, which will be discussed in the next meeting of the working group on visas of the Council of the EU that will be held on November 9 or 10.
According to the Radio Free Europe report, the amended proposal of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union also consists of the conditioning of visa liberalisation for Kosovo with functionalisation of ETIAS, as well as requirements for Kosovo to finalize repatriation agreements with the EU countries with which there are no such concrete agreements by Kosovo up to this point, and also adapt its visa policy to that of the EU.
Regarding France’s proposal, authorities in Spain neither affirmed nor denied their position when asked by SchengenVisaInfo.com.
Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told SchengenVisaInfo.com that the position of EU countries regarding the abolishment of visas for Kosovo’s citizens would be specified during the next meeting of the working group.
“The subject has just begun to be dealt with in Brussels, and it will follow its normal procedure throughout which the positions of the different Member States will be specified,” Elena Aljarilla, from the press department of Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed in this regard.
Soon after the meeting of the working group held in October, the Czech Presidency of the European Council pointed out that it is needed to clarify some issues so Kosovo’s visa liberalisation process could advance. Such comments by the visa liberalisation working group were considered additional criteria in Pristina.
Kosovo’s visa liberalisation process started on February 19, 2012, however, it has not been finalised yet, despite the fact that in 2018, the European Commission estimated that the country meet the two last requirements for the process to be finished.
