Decision (EU) 2022/2512 on the non-acceptance of travel documents of the Russian Federation issued in Ukraine and Georgia

Summary:

Decision (EU) 2022/2512 - formally adopted by the co-legislators on 14 December 2022 - concerning the non-recognition of Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions.

Further information:

This Decision establishes that travel documents of Russia issued in or to persons resident in regions or territories in Ukraine which are occupied by Russia or breakaway territories in Georgia which are not under the control of the Georgian government shall not be accepted as valid travel documents for the purposes of the issuing of a visa or the crossing of the external borders.

The draft Decision was adopted by the European Commission on 6 September 2022 alongside a draft Council Decision suspending the EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement. The Commission had already issued guidelines to national consulates in Ukraine and Russia on lodging Schengen visa applications by the residents of Crimea following its illegal annexation by Russia in 2014. Further guidelines were developed in 2016 as a common approach to the issue of non-recognition of certain categories of ordinary Russian international passports issued by the Russian administrative authorities established by Russia in Crimea and Sevastopol. In 2019, guidance was prepared on how to handle visa applications lodged by residents of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions holding ordinary Russian international passports. Russia decided to extend the practice of handing out ordinary Russian international passports to other non-government-controlled areas of Ukraine. In May 2022, Russia introduced a simplified naturalisation procedure for orphan children from Donetsk, Luhansk and elsewhere in Ukraine.

Member State representatives adopted a general approach for this file on behalf of the Council of the European Union on 12 October. The plenary of the European Parliament adopted a negotiating position on 20 October. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text was reached on 10 November 2022. This was formally endorsed by the Parliament on 24 November and by the Council on 8 December. The Act was signed by the co-legislators on 14 December 2022 and published in the Official Journal on 21 December 2022.

• Primary Source

News

The Sofia Globe, 12/10/2022: EU ambassadors take stance on non-acceptance of Russian passports issued in Ukraine, Georgia https://sofiaglobe.com/2022/10/12/eu-ambassadors-take-stance-on-non-acceptance-of-russian-passports-issued-in-ukraine-georgia/

Agenda.ge, 21/10/2022: MEPs say no to Russian passports from occupied regions of Ukraine, Georgia https://agenda.ge/en/news/2022/4101

Georgia Today, 21/10/2022: European Parliament Agrees on the Non-recognition of Russian Passports Issued in the Occupied Regions of Georgia and Ukraine https://georgiatoday.ge/european-parliament-agrees-on-the-non-recognition-of-russian-passports-issued-in-the-occupied-regions-of-georgia-and-ukraine/

RFE/RL, 10/11/2022: EU Says It Won't Accept Russian Passports Issued In Ukraine, Georgia https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-wont-accept-russian-issued-passports-ukraine-georgia/32124391.html

Radio Poland, 09/12/2022: EU says it won’t accept passports issued in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine, Georgia https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/9766/artykul/3084454

Agenda.ge, 09/12/2022: EU will not accept Russian documents issued in occupied regions of Ukraine, Georgia https://agenda.ge/en/news/2022/4796

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Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2022)662: Proposal for a Decision on the non-recognition of Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2022:662:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Non-recognition of Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions (2022/0274(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2022/0274(COD)

European Commission: Press Release, 06/09/2022: Commission proposes full suspension of Visa Facilitation Agreement with Russia https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_22_5346

European Commission: Questions and Answers – Proposal for the suspension of the EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement (6 September 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_22_5344

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 12/10/2022: Council agrees its negotiating mandate on the non-acceptance of Russian travel documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/12/council-agrees-its-negotiating-mandate-on-the-non-acceptance-of-russian-travel-documents-issued-in-ukraine-and-georgia/

European Parliament: Press Release, 20/10/2022: MEPs say no to Russian passports from occupied regions, stress right to asylum https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20221017IPR43907/

European Parliament: Press Release, 10/11/2022: Passports issued by Russia in occupied regions: deal on non-recognition https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20221107IPR49207/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 10/11/2022: Council presidency and European Parliament provisionally agree not to accept Russian travel documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/11/10/council-presidency-and-european-parliament-provisionally-agree-not-to-accept-russian-travel-documents-issued-in-ukraine-and-georgia/

European Parliament: Press Release, 24/11/2022: MEPs vote not to accept passports issued by Russia in occupied areas https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20221118IPR55715/

Renew Europe EP Group: Newsroom, 24/11/2022: No recognition of Russian passports issues in illegally occupied areas of Ukraine and Georgia https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/news/2022-11-24/no-recognition-of-russian-passports-in-illegally-occupied-areas-of-ukraine-and-georgia

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 08/12/2022: Council adopts decision not to accept Russian documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/12/08/council-adopts-decision-not-to-accept-russian-documents-issued-in-ukraine-and-georgia/

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