Schengen: issue of visas at the border, seamen in transit. Initiative Spain

The committee adopted the report by Anna KARAMANOU (PES, GR) broadly approving the Spanish initiative, subject to a number of amendments (consultation procedure). It deleted the provision requiring all seamen in a group to have the same nationality in order to obtain a group transit visa. It also said that a visa should only be issued at the external border of the Schengen area (as an exception to the general rule under which visas should be issued by diplomatic and consular authorities) if the applicant was unable to apply for a visa at an earlier date. Lastly, the committee stressed that the rules governing the protection of personal data must always be followed.�