Text tabled : A6-0161/2009

  Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE), in writing. – (PT) I agree with a common visa policy that facilitates legitimate travel and implements measures aimed at facilitating the process of lodging and processing visa applications (reduced costs, simplified issue procedure, use of visas for multiple entries, longer periods of validity).

It is also a matter of urgency that illegal immigration be tackled through further harmonisation of national legislation and handling practices at local consular missions.

I acknowledge the urgent need to reinforce the coherence of the common visa policy, particularly by incorporating into one code on visas all provisions governing the issuance of visas and decisions in relation to refusal, extension, annulment, revocation and shortening of visas issued.

I congratulate the rapporteur, Mr Lax, on the excellent compromise that he has managed to achieve, but regret that the weak compromise achieved in the report on Common Consular Instructions (which must be inserted in this proposal) will end up being to the detriment of this proposal. An example of this is the exemption from and reduction in cost of visas for children, which was agreed in this House, but which will end up not producing the expected effects due to the additional charges to be levied where the service is provided by external companies.

For all these reasons, which led me to vote against that report, I cannot fully support this report, which is why I have abstained.