Visas: third countries whose nationals are subject to or exempt from a visa requirement

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report drafted by Agustín DÍAZ DE MERA GARCÍA CONSUEGRA (EPP, ES) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of Member States and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

It recommended that the European Parliament’s position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure (formerly known as the codecision procedure) should be to amend the Commission proposal with one amendment in particular.

Although the committee fully supports the transfer of Taiwan to the common list of third countries the nationals of which are exempted from the visa requirement, it stipulates that the exemption from the visa requirement should not apply to holders of passports issued by Taiwan which do not include an identity card number.