Does the EU stop visa-free travel?

25.03.2024 The European Union plans to update the mechanism that allows suspending the visa-free regime for third countries whose citizens are exempt from visa obligations when traveling to the Schengen area.

Within the framework of the updated mechanism, the EU will receive the following new grounds for suspending the visa-free regime:
The lack of compliance of a visa-free third country with the EU visa policy, in cases where this may lead to an increase in the number of arrivals to the EU, for example, due to the geographical proximity of this country to the EU.

The operation of the investor citizenship scheme, according to which citizenship is granted without any genuine connection with the relevant third country in exchange for pre-determined payments or investments

If the mechanism is updated, the European Union will be able to suspend the visa-free border crossing program with countries with existing citizenship-by-investment programs. Currently, 61 countries have visa-free permits with the European Union.

Link to the source: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/03/13/council-takes-first-step-towards-...