Brussels - Ukraine and the European Union on Monday signed an agreement extending a visa facilitation agreement that they had signed earlier.
The signing ceremony took place in Brussels at the European Commission. The document was signed by EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryschenko.
The agreement introduced amendments expanding the list of categories of people falling under the simplified procedure for obtaining visas to EU member states.
In particular, the scope of the document covers not only journalists, but also the technical members of their teams (operators, sound engineers, etc.). Journalists are also given the opportunity to provide letters of confirmation from employers rather than invitations from the host party.
Visa facilitation concerns not only participants in exchange programs of the twin cities, but also other municipal units. This category also covers citizens who visit only relatives who are citizens of Ukraine and that live in the EU, but also relatives who are citizens of EU countries. The list also includes the accompanying persons who are in need of medical treatment
In addition, the agreement now includes four new categories of persons who will also fall under the simplified visa procedure: members of social organizations, members of professions participating in international forums (seminars, exhibitions, etc.), representatives of religious communities, as well as participants of cross-border cooperation programs within the EU programs.
The question of the period of validity of visas was also resolved, with the words “up to five years” and “up to one year” replaced with “for five years” and “for one year,” which will help avoid the arbitrary interpretation of the relevant provisions by the consuls of the EU member states.
The visa-free regime will be envisaged for the holders of biometric passports.
