A plan to cancel visas for Russia has been drafted

15.12.2011 The EU agreed to discuss with Russia the plan to abolish visa regime. Such a plan for this task achievement has already been developed, both parties must meet several conditions that will be officially announced at the summit in Brussels on 14-16 December 2011. For example, the conditions will cover the issue of document security (to eliminate this is possible with the help of biometric passports), international cooperation in law enforcement, etc. The European Union approved the recent agreement between Poland and Russia on abolishing visas for border areas of these states.
Once an agreement has been reached between the EU and Russia, all the conditions have been met in accordance with this agreement, there will be the signing of an international document that will have legal force. So far these have been only the first steps in this direction.

Expert’s opinion

“Discussion of the possibility to cancel visa regime between Russia and the EU states is a huge step towards cooperation strengthen between jurisdictions. The text of such international agreement is at the stage of active drafting. Of course, the liquidation of the visa regime between the EU and Russia will positively affect not only the flow of tourists, which will certainly increase at times, but also on business, which often requires business trips to EU countries. Also positively this cancellation will affect international status of the Russian Federation”.

On the basis: www.europa.eu

Vorontsova Maria ( the lawyer of international consulting department of Honest&Bright)