Brussels, 18 June 2007

In the margins of the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council that took place today, EU and Ukraine would make a concrete step forward in their bilateral relations, signing two agreements on visa facilitation and readmission. The signature of these agreements followed the official start of the negotiations on a new Enhanced Agreement reflecting the strategic importance of developing EU-Ukraine relations.

”I was very pleased that the agreements on visa and readmission had been signed - this means that Ukrainians will now be able to travel more easily while maintaining the efforts to clamp down on illegal migration”, stated Vice-President Frattini, Commissioner responsible for the Justice, Freedom and Security portfolio. He added: "The EU and Ukraine can aspire to a qualitatively higher level in their relationship, and these agreements are particularly important in this perspective: facilitating people-to-people contacts can greatly help in increasing mutual understanding and improving our relations in all fields:

In the margins of the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council, the agreements on the facilitation of issuance of visas and on readmission of illegal immigrants were signed. The two agreements open the way for easier travel and people-to-people contacts across Europe, while at the same time fighting illegal migration.

The agreement on visa facilitation eases the procedures for issuing short-stay visas for Ukrainian citizens. Under the new agreement, a decision on whether or not to issue a visa will have to be taken as a rule within 10 days and the documents that need to be presented have been simplified. The agreement also sets out simplified criteria for issuing multiple-entry visas for many groups of people, such as close relatives, lorry drivers, people on business, students, journalists and members of official delegations. Visa fees are waived for some groups of people such as close relatives, students, disabled people, journalists and pensioners. Individuals holding Ukrainian diplomatic passports will be exempt from the visa obligation under the agreement.

The agreement on readmission sets out clear obligations and procedures for the authorities of both Ukraine and the respective EU Member State as to when and how to take back people who are illegally residing on their territories. These obligations cover nationals from Ukraine, the EU Member States and those from third countries and stateless people. The provisions on the readmission of third-country nationals and stateless people will only become applicable after a transitional period of 2 years. A special accelerated procedure will apply to persons apprehended in common border regions who can be returned within a few days. The agreement contains the necessary safeguards with regard to data protection and the protection of fundamental human rights.

The two agreements will enter into force once both Parties have completed their internal ratification procedures, hopefully before the end of the year.

For further information on the activities of Vice-President Frattini, please visit his website at:
http://www.ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/frattini/index_en.htm