The European Union’s (EU) Civil Liberties Committee endorses a proposal that would remove visa restrictions on Colombian nationals attempting to enter the EU, the EU Parliament reported Wednesday.
Various EU ambassadors have already endorsed the measure, which, if passed, would allow citizens from 16 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, the United Arab Emirates, Colombia and Peru to visit the EU’s 26 Schengen countries with nothing more than a passport.
MORE: EU announces end to visa requirements for Colombians
EU Parliamentarian Mariya Gabriel, one of the key sponsors of the bill, said the proposal would allow for greater cooperation between the aforementioned countries and the EU and “send a positive message to citizens by clarifying the criteria for including third countries in the positive list.”
The “negative list” refers to the list of countries whose citizens require additional paperwork to enter the EU, and is determined according to a “risk analysis” that, as described last week by EU ambassadors, assesses individual countries on a range of issues, including human rights and fundamental freedoms, economic benefits for the EU, and the possibility for illegal migration.
The agreement is scheduled be put to a full assembly vote by the EU Parliament in April, and is expected to pass.
Sources
- MEPs back visa-free travel deal for 16 ACP countries, UAE, Colombia and Peru (EU Parliament Press Release)