Close X
Thursday, November 7, 2024
ADVT 
International

EU Again Delays Decision To Impose Visas For Canadians, Citing Progress

The Canadian Press, 14 Jul, 2016 12:32 PM
    OTTAWA — The European Commission has again pushed off a decision on whether to require Canadians to have a visa to enter the EU.
     
    The commission says it's now looking ahead to the Canada-EU summit this fall to see more progress on the issue of Canada removing visa restrictions on citizens of Romania and Bulgaria.
     
    The EU insists that since Canadians don't require visas to go to Europe, EU citizens should not need them to come to Canada.
     
    In April, the Commission urged the European Parliament and council to "take a position" on the issue by July 12 — but neither did.
     
    The commission notes that high-level political talks — including a visit last week by Canadian Immigration Minister John McCallum — have demonstrated progress, but they still want the issue resolved.
     
    Top EU interior affairs official Dimitris Avramopoulos says the commission will continue to apply pressure.
     
    "Achieving full visa waiver reciprocity for citizens of all member states is the objective for the European Commission and a fundamental principle of our common visa policy," he said in a statement Wednesday.
     
    To decide whether to lift visa requirements, the Canadian government looks at several factors including how many visa applications are refused as well as immigration violation rates.
     
    Officials from McCallum's department travelled to Romania last month to examine progress by that country and are making a similar trip to Bulgaria this month.
     
    Pressure to lift visas on those citizens is twofold.
     
    First, the Liberals recently announced they will lift visa requirements on Mexican nationals. And EU officials say if it can be done for Mexicans, it should be done for Europeans.
     
    Second, full ratification of the Canada-EU free trade agreement is at stake, with the possibility that Romania and Bulgaria will refuse to sign the deal if the visas remain.
     
     
    McCallum travelled to Brussels last week to smooth some ruffled diplomatic feathers on both counts.
     
    "Our dialogues underline the importance of the strong bonds between Canada and the European Union," McCallum and Avramopoulos said in a joint statement after the meeting.
     
    Officials from the immigration department have already travelled to Romania to assess issues on the ground there. They will be making a similar trip to Bulgaria this month.
     
    Canada and the EU are to hold a summit in Brussels this October.
     
    "The Commission looks forward to the EU-Canada Summit, which will take place on 27-28 October 2016, as the occasion to confirm tangible progress on the lifting of the visa requirement for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens," Wednesday's statement said. 

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Russian Offer To Send Heavy Water Bombers To Fight Fort Mac Fire In Limbo

    Russian Offer To Send Heavy Water Bombers To Fight Fort Mac Fire In Limbo
    The proposal was made late last week by Vladimir Puchkov, the Russian minister of emergency measures.

    Russian Offer To Send Heavy Water Bombers To Fight Fort Mac Fire In Limbo

    11-Year-Old Hindu Boy Raped And Murdered In Pakistan, Body Found In Swimming Pool

    11-Year-Old Hindu Boy Raped And Murdered In Pakistan, Body Found In Swimming Pool
    The family members of the boy claim that he was deliberately thrown into the pool to cover up sexual abuse and murder.

    11-Year-Old Hindu Boy Raped And Murdered In Pakistan, Body Found In Swimming Pool

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan Thanks Supporters; Praise Pours In On Social Media

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan Thanks Supporters; Praise Pours In On Social Media
    Welcome messages also poured in from prominent Pakistanis as #SadiqKhan trended on twitter.

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan Thanks Supporters; Praise Pours In On Social Media

    Populism, Not Conservatism: Six Ways Donald Trump's Not Your Average Republican

    Populism, Not Conservatism: Six Ways Donald Trump's Not Your Average Republican
    WASHINGTON — Donald Trump had a contentious first week for a presumptive presidential nominee.

    Populism, Not Conservatism: Six Ways Donald Trump's Not Your Average Republican

    Can The Trump Card Triumph In November?

    Pundits, pollsters and the President all prophesied that Donald Trump would never be the Republican nominee. A Washington Post columnist even promised to eat his entire column if the Manhattan mogul triumphed.

    Can The Trump Card Triumph In November?

    Canadian Lumber Producers Reject Rumoured U.S. Calls For Return To Quotas

    Canadian Lumber Producers Reject Rumoured U.S. Calls For Return To Quotas
    Canadian forestry company executives are eager for a new softwood lumber agreement but say they are not interest in a rumoured U.S. proposal to reinstate across-the-board quotas.

    Canadian Lumber Producers Reject Rumoured U.S. Calls For Return To Quotas