The European Comission Do you think the time has come to review the European visa suspension mechanism to make it more rigorous and facilitate interruption. Until now the suspension could only be activated in case of a “sudden and substantial increase” in irregular immigration or in case of risks to the security of the member states. Brussels proposes adding new reasons to take into account “hybrid threats”, the so-called ‘golden passports or visas’ or the lack of alignment of third countries with the European visa policy.
“We have to ensure that our visa policy framework is not misused and that we have the power to act when it happens,” defended the vice president responsible for immigration and security, Margaritis Schinas. In light of the experience of recent years, Brussels has come to the conclusion that the current framework is not sufficient and needs to be adapted. “It needs more dynamism. It needs to be refined further. Add new causes for suspension, new reasons for suspending visas,” she added. And not just increase the reasons. The Commission also proposes increasing the suspension periods, up to 36 months, and reinforces the monitoring obligations for all countries that are exempt from this requirement and where problems are detected.
“Last year we received about 150,000 asylum applications from countries that do not require a visa. It is enormous. And this is not how you should use the visa exemption,” warned the immigration commissioner, Ylva Johanssonwhich adds a second problem that the current mechanism cannot address: the fact that third countries whose nationals are exempt from visa requirements to travel to the European Union are selling “fairly cheap” passports to “people who represent a risk or potential risk to the security of the European Union” without also being required to reside in the country. “Sometimes they are allowed to change their names and identity several times after obtaining new citizenship. This also poses a risk to the security of the European Union that we must examine,” denounced the Swede.
He visa exemption regime It currently allows citizens from 60 countries to travel to the EU for short-term stays – up to 90 days in a 180-day period – without the need to apply for visas. A mechanism to allow temporary suspension in the event of a sudden and substantial increase in irregular migration was introduced in 2013 and was revised in 2017 to allow Brussels to activate the mechanism motu proprio. The European Commission now proposes one more twist that the Council and the European Parliament will have to negotiate.
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In addition to a more “robust” visa policy, Brussels has also recalled the importance of repatriation of illegal immigrants in the EU be mandatory for people who pose a threat to security, as proposed in the return directive pending negotiation within the asylum and immigration pact, and not voluntary as is currently the case. “Today, with the current legislation, it is at the discretion of the Member States to decide whether people with repatriation orders should be forced to return to the country (of origin). It must be mandatory,” he warned. The EU makes around 400,000 expulsion decisions every year. In all of 2023 it has returned about 65,000 people, which represents “an increase of 20%.”
“There will be no asylum and migration policy in the European Union without a significant culture of return or in other words Europe will always remain a place of asylum for those fleeing war, persecution and discrimination but those who have no reason to be under the protection of the European Union, they cannot stay with us,” added his colleague Schinas, who has insisted on the repatriation of all people when there is “evidence that they are linked to security threats.”