Entry visa requirement for citizens of 10 EU Member States

10.1.2007

ORAL QUESTION H-0009/07
for Question Time at the part-session in February 2007
pursuant to Rule 109 of the Rules of Procedure
by Dimitrios Papadimoulis
to the Council

The USA continues to impose a selective entry visa requirement on the citizens of ten Member States of the European Union. Greece is the only country among the 15 old Member States whose citizens still require a visa to travel to the USA on business or as tourists. Despite the fact that new, more secure passports have been issued - identical throughout the European Union - the USA continues to maintain the visa system for one group of States only.

 

Moreover, as Parliament pointed out in its resolution (P6_TA(2006)0238), adopted on 1 June 2006, a visa requirement on citizens of ten Member States of the EU perpetuates inequality among EU citizens and implies a lack of trust in the European Union's own visa arrangements (recital K and paragraph 37).

 

What does the Council propose to do to promote Parliament's resolution P6_TA(2006)0238 and persuade the USA to rescind the visa requirement which it imposes on selected citizens of the Union only?

 

 

Tabled: 10.01.2007

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