Doc. 9258
8 October 2001

Eliminating excessively restrictive practices for issuing visas to citizens of east European states

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Ustiugov and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

      The Assembly believes that promoting contacts between people and ensuring freedom of their movements are absolutely essential for strengthening common European values advocated by the Council of Europe and for building a united Europe without dividing lines.

      The Assembly notes with concern the increasingly restrictive procedures for issuing visas to citizens of east European countries, especially the countries of the former Soviet Union. Pressure exerted by the European Union on countries that are candidates for accession to tighten visa rules further exacerbates the issue. Long queues which take hours, interrogative questioning, excessively complicated application forms, unexplained refusals and excessively long bureaucratic procedures, amounting to degrading treatment, have become common practice.

      There are cases of teenagers going to other countries to study languages, people wanting to visit their relatives, scientists and young artists, being denied visas. For example, in 2001, a young musician, S. Nokhrin, who was invited to take part in a music competition in Belgium, was refused an entry visa. He learned about this refusal after he had made a trip of several thousand miles from Novosibirsk to Moscow. It takes some central European countries about a week to process a transit visa for a trip of several hours across their territory to a neighbouring country.

      The Assembly believes that the practice of issuing visas to citizens of the Council of Europe member states of eastern Europe should be radically improved and made non-discriminatory.

      In this context, the Assembly urges its member states:

      –to       simplify visa procedures;–

      –to       shorten the period of consideration of applications;–

      –to       introduce more effective electronic systems for automated visa processing;–

      –to       abandon transit visas for persons who have visas to entry the country of their destination;–

      –to       respect the rights of citizens to receive information on the reasons why they are denied visas;–

      –to       introduce a rapid and effective system of appealing against refusals of entry visas;–

      –to       use more widely the practice of issuing multiple entry visas for frequent travellers.Si

Signed : ¹

Ustiugov, Russia, EPP/CD

Galoyan, Armenia, EPP/CD

Hovhannisyan, Armenia, EDG

Khripel, Russia, SOC

Manukyan, Armenia, UEL

Marmazov, Ukraine, UEL

Neguta, Moldova, UEL

Rakhansky, Ukraine, UEL

Rogozin, Russia, EDG

Rustamyan, Armenia, SOC

Seyidov, Azerbaijan, EDG

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group