Press Release: The Commission adopts two proposals facilitating transit of third country nationals requiring a visa

The European Commission adopted at the end of August 2005 two proposals for EP and Council Decisions establishing a simplified regime for the control at the external borders of third country nationals requiring a visa, based on the unilateral recognition of certain types of documents. The recognition regime will be limited to the purpose of transit through the territory of Member States. In particular, the proposals concern the unilateral recognition: a) by new Member States of visas and residence permits issued by Schengen States and similar documents issued by other new Member State(s); this regime should be implemented during the transitory period till the full integration of new Member States into the Schengen area; b) by the Member States of certain residence permits issued by Switzerland and Liechtenstein.