EU mulls action against U.S., Canada, Brunei over visa non-reciprocity

The European Union (EU) will decide by July 12 on how to deal with its visa policy toward the United States, Canada and Brunei which fail to provide reciprocity to some EU citizens, it was announced Tuesday.

Nationals of the United States, Canada and Brunei will need visa to enter the bloc if the EU rules to suspend its visa-free policy.

The EU needs to figure out "the most appropriate way" to address the problem, the European Commission said. Undoubtedly, the suspension of the current visa-free policy will entail tensions between Brussels and the three countries, particularly its biggest trade partner the United States.

The EU is faced with non-reciprocity situation with the three countries, it complained. Americans, Canadians and Bruneians can enter the bloc and stay for three months without visa, in return, citizens of five EU member states are imposed visa requirements for visiting.

The United States requires visa for citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania while Canada demands visa for Bulgarians and Romanians.

Brunei could be an exception as it already decided to lift the visa requirement for Croatian nationals last year. The policy has not been in practice yet but the non-reciprocity is expected to be solved in the coming weeks, the commission said.

"Visa reciprocity is a fundamental element of the EU's common visa policy," said Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship.

"Full visa reciprocity" will stay high on the agenda of the EU's bilateral relations with these countries and the bloc will continue pursuing a "balanced and fair" outcome, the commissioner said.

The United Kingdom and Ireland could keep away from the nuisance because they can opt out the bloc's common visa policy. Endit