You're reading: Ukraine makes significant progress in meeting EU criteria on visa-free travel – foreign ministry

The results of the work of the European expert mission on assessing Ukraine's readiness to introduce biometric passports and the condition of state border governance demonstrate the significant progress of Ukraine in the implementation of the criteria to introduce a visa-free regime with the European Union.

On Sept. 15-26, an expert mission for assessment of the Ukraine’s progress in the implementation of the criteria of the first and second blocks of the second phase of the action plan on visa regime liberalization with the European Union worked in Ukraine, director of the information policy department of Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Yevhen Perebyinis said.

“At this stage the European experts assessed the readiness of Ukraine to introduce biometric travel documents, the conditions of Ukraine’s state border management, and the efficiency of migration governance,” Perebyinis said.

Besides, he said that the EU had confirmed its readiness to introduce a visa-free regime for the trips of Ukrainian citizens after the demands of the action plan are fulfilled.

“The results of the mission’s work demonstrate the significant potential of Ukraine in the implementation of the corresponding criteria,” Perebyinis said.

He said that arrival of these expert missions under the current events is seen by Ukraine as effective support by EU for the work done by Ukraine in the European integration sector.

The ministry hopes that expert missions to check block 3 (ensuring public order and security) and block 4 (ensuring fundamental human rights and freedoms) will come to Ukraine soon, in November-December.

The European Commission will prepare a report on the state of the Ukraine’s implementation of the second phase of the action plan on the results of the mission’s work.

“If Ukraine’s efforts in meeting the criteria of the second phase of the action plan are considered successful, the EC must present for consideration of the Council of EU and European Parliament a legislative proposal to withdraw Ukraine from the list of the states with visa entry,” the spokesman said.