Ukraine may enter EU free visa regime in 2016 for travelers but not for job seekers
Kiev, Ukraine: The European Commission will place a resolution to the Council of Europe for abolition of visa for Ukraine citizens at the beginning of 2016, reports Ukraine media. This regime aims at tourist travel, study, participation in cultural and sporting events but not for seeking job within EU countries.
According to experts of the European Commission, Kiev has made progress in terms of internal security, border management and migration policy for refugees, the fight against organized crime, corruption and human trafficking, money laundering and drug trafficking. The EC has also seen success in Kiev to protect the rights of national and other minorities.
“Taking into account the results of the monitoring and reporting is carried out after the beginning of the visa dialogue in October 2008 and the Commission considers that Ukraine has fulfilled all the criteria set out in the four blocks of the second phase PDVL (Action Plan visa liquidation)”, – quotes EC report.
To the recommendation of the European Commission entered into force, the European Council must approve the decision by consensus of all 28 EU countries then it must be approved the European Parliament.
As explained by the European Commissioner for Migration, Interior and citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, “the Commission will present in early 2016 appropriate legislative proposals”, and “it will take at least several months.”
The official stressed that the abolition of the EU visa regime with Ukraine “will not affect those who come to work in the EU.” “Visa-free regime will apply only to travel no more than 90 days (three months) but Ukraine citizens will not allow to work in EU countries.
It may be mentioned that the Kiev fulfilled the plan on visa liberalization with the EU over the past five years and now approached the last phase. In November, after many unsuccessful attempts Verkhovna Rada had banned discrimination in employment on grounds of gender equality. This was one of the key demands of the European Union, as a result, excludes the possibility of applying for political asylum in the EU because of discrimination in hiring or promotion in Ukraine.
Last week, the Ukrainian government has developed a plan of action for the next year, one of the main priorities of which was called the visa-free regime with the EU. To this end, the authorities plan to reform the education and health care, to arrange a new wave of privatization, to introduce new tax rules.
Commenting on Friday’s report of the European Commission, the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin expressed the hope that the European Commission will make a presentation to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe on the abolition of visa regime with Ukraine in the first months of 2016. “We have done as such a plan for visa liberalization, but what we have carried out, does not mean that we need to sit down, look at the ceiling and nothing more to do. We must ensure that the system is that, together, we did really worked, “- said the Minister.
While Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk called the EC assessment big step towards the complete abolition of visas for citizens of the country.
“Congratulations to all the positive decision of the European Commission – Ukraine has fulfilled all the requirements for the introduction of a visa-free regime with the EU. This is the result of teamwork Ukrainian president, government and parliament, “- Yatsenyuk wrote on his Facebook.
The EU introduced a visa-free regime with Moldova, whose citizens also got the right to stay for six months in any EU country for 90 days. However, the visa-free regime has not given the right to work. In addition to biometric passports in the country of arrival may request a return ticket, proof of solvency (cash currency or traveler’s checks, credit cards or certificates of scholarships), a letter of guarantee or invitation, vouchers for accommodation. The consular departments of embassies of European countries recommend that before traveling to obtain medical insurance.
The whole package of documents does not differ from what is required to obtain a visa. Thus, the introduction of visa-free regime in fact turned out that simply does not have to pay for the visa and wait for clearance.
