Press Release: 15 Member States have not implemented the ‘Researchers’ visa’ Directive

12 October 2007 marked the passing of the deadline to put into national law the 2005 Directive setting out a specific procedure for allowing third-country nationals into the EU for the purposes of carrying out scientific research, or "researchers' visa". Prior to that date only 6 Member States (Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Austria, Portugal and Romania) have notified the Commission of full implementation of the Directive. 4 Member States (France, Latvia, Lithuania and the Slovak Republic) have notified partial implementation. As of this date the Commission is entitled to take steps to open infringement proceedings against these Member States who have not yet notified of their implementing measures and those Member States who have notified partial implementation only. The Commission deeply regrets that so many Member States have not yet transposed this Directive into their national legislation and hopes this situation to be remedied as soon as possible so as to avoid initiating infringement procedures.

European Commission: MEMO/07/409: European rules on facilitated admission of third-country scientific researchers http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/409&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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