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DRAFT REPORT (COM(2023)0733 – C90412/2023 – 2023/0418(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as regards holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (Koordinaciona uprava)

LIBE-PR-759740

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs · Rapporteur: Matjaž Nemec

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Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

This draft report concerns the Commission proposal to amend Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 so that holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate are exempt from the visa requirement for short stays in the EU. The rapporteur welcomes the proposal and supports its speedy adoption by Parliament without amendments in the current parliamentary term. The report notes that the visa exemption would apply to stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period and that the passports are biometric. The rapporteur considers that holders of these passports are the last category in the Western Balkans who need a visa, which he sees as discrimination, and that the EU should resolve this issue.

Committee position. The rapporteur welcomes the Commission proposal and supports its speedy adoption by Parliament without amendments in the current parliamentary term.

Key points

  1. Parliament adopts its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal without changes.
  2. Parliament calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal.
  3. The Commission proposal of 16 November 2023 would exempt holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate from the visa requirement for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.
  4. The rapporteur supports the proposal and wants it adopted quickly without amendments in the current parliamentary term.
  5. The rapporteur argues that the EU must resolve the issue because it contributed to creating it, and that the 2008 distinction for passports of Serbians living in Kosovo was perhaps unwise.
  6. The rapporteur notes that lack of progress in normalising Serbia-Kosovo relations and mutual non-recognition of documents have contributed to the problem.
  7. The rapporteur considers that holders of these passports are the last visa-required category in the Western Balkans due to no fault of their own, which he calls discrimination that should be remedied.
  8. The rapporteur says the proposal should not try to resolve the Serbia-Kosovo dispute and should be treated as a technical issue with politics set aside.

Who is affected

  • Holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate, who would no longer need a visa for short stays in the EU.
  • Serbia and Kosovo, whose unresolved dispute and non-recognition of documents are mentioned as background to the proposal.
  • The Western Balkan region, which would have the same visa regime for all its citizens.

Figures and deadlines

  • 16 November 2023: date the Commission presented the proposal.
  • 90 days in any 180-day period: maximum stay allowed under the visa exemption.
  • 19 January 2012: date the Commission launched a visa liberalisation dialogue with Kosovo.
  • 14 June 2012: date the Commission presented a roadmap to Kosovo.
  • 4 May 2016: date the Commission proposed to transfer Kosovo to Annex II.
  • 19 April 2023: date the proposal to transfer Kosovo was agreed and adopted.
  • 1 January 2024: date from which the visa exemption for Kosovo was to apply if ETIAS had not started operations.

Legal basis: Article 294(2) and Article 77(2), point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.