Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement between the European Community and Ukraine on the facilitation of the issuance of visas

The Visa Facilitation Agreement between the European Community and Ukraine has been in force since 1 January 2008.

Article 12 of the Visa Facilitation Agreement establishes a Joint Committee tasked inter alia with monitoring the implementation of the Agreement and suggesting amendments and additions thereto. The Joint Committee, at its 6th meeting on 5 May 2011 in Brussels endorsed suggestions for amendments and additions to the Visa Facilitation Agreement.

At political level, at the 8th EU-Ukraine Ministerial Meeting on Justice, Freedom and Security on 9 June 2010, the Parties looked forward to constructive negotiations on possible amendments to the Visa Facilitation Agreement.

On that basis the Commission presented on 29 October 2010 a recommendation to the Council in order to authorise the Commission to open negotiations with Ukraine on an Agreement amending the Visa Facilitation Agreement.

Following the authorisation given by the Council on 11 April 2011, the negotiations with Ukraine on an Agreement amending the Visa Facilitation Agreement were opened in Brussels on 6 May 2011. Three further rounds of negotiations took place on 11 July 2011 in Kiev and on 9 November 2011 and 14 December 2011 in Brussels. The final text of the amending Agreement was initialled in February 2012 by the chief negotiators.

Member States have been regularly informed and consulted in the relevant Council Working Groups at all stages of the negotiations.

On the part of the Union, the legal basis for the amending Agreement is Article 77(2)(a), in conjunction with Article 218 of the TFEU.

The Commission signed the amending Agreement on ... In accordance with Art. 218(6)(a) of the TFEU the European Parliament's consent for the conclusion of the amending Agreement was given on ...

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)266: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:266:FIN

ESO: Background information: Proposal for a Council Decision on the signature of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement between the European Community and Ukraine on the facilitation of the issuance of visas http://www.europeansources.info/record/proposal-for-a-council-decision-on-the-signature-of-the-agreement-between-the-european-union-and-ukraine-amending-the-agreement-between-the-european-community-and-ukraine-on-the-facilitation-of-the-is/

---