About: visa liberalisation Archives

As president of the tiny Republic of Kosovo in the Western Balkans, Hashim Thaçi is the first one to admit to being very relieved by the results of the presidential elections in Austria.

Turkey has long opposed the international recognition of the Armenian genocide and the German parliament's plans to finally grant it could spell trouble for Berlin's relations with Ankara. EURACTIV’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

While the EU may think that remaining silent on the more challenging issues of the visa liberalisation deal might be a price worth paying for dealing with the refugee crisis, it reflects the bloc’s desperation, writes Igor Merheim-Eyre.

Greek Cypriots will no longer require visas to visit Turkey under an EU-Turkey agreement on visa liberalisation, but this does not amount to Turkish recognition of Cyprus, a Turkish official said on today (3 May).

In Austria, the Turkey refugee deal has been met with scepticism. At the same time, Vienna is on the lookout for other routes that may be used by refugees to enter the EU. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko tried to reassure the EU on Thursday (17 March) that his country would soon overcome a political crisis that has rattled Western lenders, and he won support for Kyiv's cherished goal of visa-free travel in Europe for its citizens.

European Union leaders begin a difficult summit today (17 March) to push for a crucial agreement with Turkey to curb the continent's massive migration crisis despite threats by Cyprus to sink the deal.

Angela Merkel stressed Wednesday that brokering a deal with Turkey will "demand a lot from us" and sought to quell domestic fears that EU membership would be offered to Ankara ,during a speech in the Bundestag ahead of a decisive European Council summit,  EURACTIV Germany reports.

Some member states are reading the Minsk agreements literally and believe there could be decentralisation in eastern Ukraine before the situation on the ground improves, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius, told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview.

The United Nations' human rights chief voiced alarm Thursday over a draft deal between the EU and Ankara that could see "illegal" collective expulsions of migrants from Greece to Turkey."

The EU summit which ended this morning (8 March) failed to reach a deal with Turkey to stem the unprecedented migrant crisis, as many heads of state and government opposed German Chancellor Merkel's attempt to impose her own deal with Ankara.

The EU is far from satisfied with Turkey's cooperation in stemming the flow of migrants to Europe after a deal clinched late last year, European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said today (7 January).

A referendum on the new Cyprus constitution by the end of March will be successful, and the reunification of the country will open new opportunities for Turkey’s EU integration, the Minister of European Affairs of Turkey, Volkan Bozk?r, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

The leaders of the 28 EU member states, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davuto?lu, agreed on Sunday (29 November) on a deal to stem the flow of refugees to Europe, coupled with an unfreezing of accession negotiations, and an initial €3 billion assistance package.

The European Union wants Ukraine to pass a set of judiciary and human rights reforms before granting Ukrainian citizens visa-free access to the 28 countries of the bloc, the head of the EU Commission told Ukraine's President in a letter today (5 November).

Faced with a refugee crisis they seem unable to control, EU leaders last night (15 October) tried to accommodate ambitious demands by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, just two weeks before crucial elections in Turkey.

Ukraine's foreign minister said his country wants assurances at a summit with the European Union this week that it is a suitable candidate for EU membership, and that its citizens will gain visa-free travel to the bloc next year.

A first and immediate step to respond to Russia’s objective to annex the territory of the former Soviet Union is visa liberalisation, writes David Bakradze.

Edgars Rink?vi?s, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, didn’t mince his words Thursday (26 February) when he called the summit of the Eastern Partnership his country is hosting next May, in its capacity as holder of the rotating EU presidency, “a survival summit”.

The push for reforms in Ukraine against the background of a quasi-war with Russia, and a parliament elected under former President Viktor Yanukovich, is experiencing difficulties. However, it is still manageable, analysts and representatives of Ukrainian civil society told a Brussels audience yesterday (18 June).

Commission President José Manuel Barroso announced today (5 March) a financial package for Ukraine of approximately €11 billion, matching Russian President Vladimir Putin’s previous offer, which had rewarded former president Viktor Yanukovich for not signing the Association Agreement with the EU. Moscow has since withdrawn the offer.

As tensions rise again in Kosovo after the killing of a Serbian politician in the North, the country's minister in charge of EU affairs, Vlora Çitaku, called on the EU to be more “responsive” towards her newly-formed state.

While the lead-up to the Vilnius Eastern partnership summit has focused on a mooted EU-Ukraine association agreement, another subject that is dear to Ukrainians will be discussed, free movement across the European Union.