Commission adopted the seventh report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism

On 6 December, the Commission adopted the seventh report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism which monitors the EU’s visa-free regimes with its Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership partners, the Eastern Caribbean and Latin American countries.

Visa-free travel facilitates mobility, boosts the travel and tourism, and promotes cultural and academic exchanges. Nevertheless, the past years have shown that travelling without a visa may pose significant challenges related to irregular migration and security.

The seventh report covers all visa-free third countries with specific challenges that may trigger the suspension mechanism. The report highlights the progress made by third countries in addressing recommendations from the sixth report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism, as well as the areas that still require improvement.

EU’s neighbourhood

For the EU’s neighbourhood, the visa liberalisation process continues to be a powerful tool to support reforms and boost cooperation with the EU on migration, border management and security. The Commission considers that Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia addressed several recommendations made in the sixth report. However, they still need to align their visa policies with the EU visa policy.

In Ukraine and Kosovo, whose nationals obtained the visa exemption less than seven years ago, the Commission considers that the visa liberalisation requirements continue to be fulfilled. But both countries still need to address the Commission’s recommendations.

In Georgia, the Commission is considering suspending visa-free travel for certain persons due to recent developments in the country. To avoid this, Georgia needs to urgently address the Commission's recommendations, particularly on protecting fundamental rights.

Eastern Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia are included in this report due to their status as visa-free countries and their operating investor citizenship schemes. The Commission considers that the five Caribbean countries’ screening and vetting procedures may not be sufficient to reject applicants who could be a potential security risk when travelling visa-free to the EU. However, the Commission recognises the countries’ efforts to strengthen their procedures.

Latin America

Asylum applications lodged by nationals from visa-exempt third countries with low recognition rates increase the burden for the asylum systems of Member States. Some Member States are facing an increasing trend of asylum applicants from the visa-free countries in Latin America.

Next steps

The Commission will continue monitoring the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation requirements which will feed into the Commission's annual Enlargement package and, where relevant, EU accession negotiations. The Commission will report to the European Parliament and the Council once a year.

Find out more:

Press release

Seventh Report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism

Proposal for a Regulation as regards the revision of the Visa Suspension Mechanism

Visa policy