The European Commission has presented to the Member States the estimation on how Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia implement their maps of path on liberalization of visa regime.
Updated estimates of implementation of the map of path for liberalization of visa regime represent a further step in the process of dialog on visas, which the EC has started with five countries of West Balkans at the beginning of 2008. First estimates have been presented in November, 2008.
Delivering the second set of estimates prepared by the EC to the European Union Council represents the end of one intensive phase of this activity. During the first quarter of 2009, the European Commission has undertaken series of visits on field and meetings of experts in mentioned countries.
By now, there have been organized 15 expert missions (per three in each country) with presence of experts from the Member States and 4 expert meetings at which it has been talked about the areas identified in the maps of path for each country separately.
Updated estimates have been based on the information, which has been collected by the European Commission Delegations in the countries during the expert missions and the information delivered by the EU Member States. The European Commission has received yesterday the first comments on estimates from the Member States. By considering these comments, the European Commission will finalize and deliver them to mentioned countries, has been notified from the European Commission Delegation in BiH.
The Deputy Chairman, Jacques Barrot, authorized for issues of jurisdiction, freedom and security, has said: “I am very satisfied with the efforts of countries of the region in their implementation of the Map of path and their excellent cooperation in organization of expert missions, and I expect to receive the comments and standpoints of the EU Member States. By considering this, I will present to the European Union Council the proposal for abolishing the visa regime for citizens of countries, which have fulfilled the conditions from the Map of path, as soon as possible. I am sure that the abolishment of visa regime for all countries of West Balkans is a touchable perspective.”