Regulation (EU) 2019/1155 amending Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code)

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Series Details L 188
Publication Date 12/07/2019
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Summary:

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 reforming certain aspects of the Visa Code, which regulates procedures and conditions for issuing short-stay visas for entry into and transit through the Schengen area.

Further information:

The EU common visa code (the Visa Code) was adopted in 2009 by means of Regulation 810/2009. It establishes the procedures and conditions for issuing short-stay visas for entry into and transit through the Schengen area, valid for up to three months.

This revision of the Visa Code, in particular, aims at overcoming divisions triggered by the visa package submitted by the Commission in 2014. The updates address the visa procedures to better respond to the changed migratory and security situation, featuring a joined up approach between visa policy and readmission cooperation. It also focuses on a number of deficiencies in the existing rules to make it easier for legitimate travellers to obtain a visa to travel to the European Union.

The new Regulation also carries over some aspects of the withdrawn proposal on recasting the Visa Code. These include provisions giving more flexibility for applicants to apply for a visa and better organisation of the work of consulates.

The proposal was adopted by the European Commission on 14 March 2018 together with a Communication addressing the way forward for the common visa policy and future initiatives. Following the adoption of negotiating positions by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament in June and December 2018 respectively, an informal agreement between the institutions was reached on 29 January 2019. The Parliament formally adopted the proposed Regulation on 17 April, followed by the Council on 6 June.

These revised rules became effective on 2 February 2020.

Source Link http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1155/oj
Alternative sources
  • https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2019.188.01.0025.01.ENG
Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
EPRS: Briefing, April 2018: Revision of the visa code [Initial Appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2018)615671
EU Migration Law Blog, 05/09/2018: Of Carrots and Sticks: A Punitive Shift in the Reform of the Visa Code http://eumigrationlawblog.eu/of-carrots-and-sticks-a-punitive-shift-in-the-reform-of-the-visa-code/
EPRS: At a Glance, April 2019: Revision of the Visa Code http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2019)637900
EPRS: Briefing, April 2019: Revision of the Community Code on Visas [EU Legislation in Progress] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2018)625129
EU Law Analysis, 17/04/2019: The revised EU visa code: controlling EU borders from a distance http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-revised-eu-visa-code-controlling-eu.html
EU Migration Law Blog, 10/05/2019: Amending the Visa Code: Collective Punishment of Visa Nationals? https://eumigrationlawblog.eu/amending-the-visa-code-collective-punishment-of-visa-nationals/

News
Deutsche Welle, 14/03/2018: EU proposes visa restrictions on countries refusing to take back illegal migrants http://p.dw.com/p/2uJDJ
The Sofia Globe, 14/03/2018: Proposed new EU visa policy: Easier for tourists, tougher for countries that do not take back migrants https://sofiaglobe.com/2018/03/14/proposed-new-eu-visa-policy-easier-for-tourists-tougher-for-countries-that-do-not-take-back-migrants/
ANSA, 06/06/2019: EU to use visa policy as leverage for repatriations http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/politics/2019/06/06/eu-to-use-visa-policy-as-leverage-for-repatriations_03eca8a2-362c-4121-a87b-e4dec9f3dd0c.html
Deutsche Welle, 06/06/2019: EU restricts visas for non-cooperation on migration https://p.dw.com/p/3JyP4
Hürriyet Daily News, 06/06/2019: EU increases Schengen visa fee to €80 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eu-increases-schengen-visa-fee-to-80-143989

Official
EUR-Lex: COM(2018)252: Proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2018:252:FIN
EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)77: Impact assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:077:FIN
EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)78: Executive summary of the impact assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:078:FIN
European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure file for Proposal on Community code on visas (Visa Code): conditions and procedures for issuing visas https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2018/0061(COD)
European Parliament: Legislative Train: Revision of the common visa code http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-towards-a-new-policy-on-migration/file-revision-of-the-common-visa-code
European Commission: Press Release, 14/03/2018: EU visa policy: Commission puts forward proposals to make it stronger, more efficient and more secure https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_18_1745
European Commission: Memo, 14/03/2018: Questions and Answers: Adapting the common EU visa policy to new challenges https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_18_1762
European Commission: Remarks by Commissioner Avramopoulos on the reform of the EU visa policy, 14 March 2018 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_18_2001
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 19/06/2018: Council agrees negotiating mandate on the amendment of the visa code https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/06/19/visa-policy-council-agrees-negotiating-mandate-on-the-amendment-of-the-visa-code/
European Parliament: Press Release, 29/01/2019: New rules for short-stay visas: EP and Council reach a deal http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190129IPR24505/
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 20/02/2019: Visa policy: Council confirms agreement on changes to the visa code https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/02/20/visa-policy-council-confirms-agreement-on-changes-to-the-visa-code/
European Commission: Press Release, 20/02/2019: EU visa policy: Commission welcomes agreement to strengthen EU visa rules http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-721_en.htm
European Parliament: Press Release, 17/04/2019: Parliament adopts new rules for short-stay visas http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190417IPR42180/
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 06/06/2019: Visa policy: EU updates rules to facilitate legitimate travel and fight illegal migration https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/06/06/visa-policy-eu-updates-rules-to-facilitate-legitimate-travel-and-fight-illegal-migration/
European Commission: New EU visa rules – Questions and Answers (31 January 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_149

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