This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 001435 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS PREL PREF SMIG EAID KCRM EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EU JHA COUNCIL FOCUSES ON VISA FEES, 
FACILITATION AND BIOMETRIC SYSTEMS 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers (JHA 
Council) on April 27 agreed to raise the price of 
Schengen visas from EUR 35 to 60, while allowing for 
more favorable treatment of EU neighbors. "Countries 
with a European perspective" are eligible for 
reduced rates if they sign readmission agreements 
with the EU.  The adjustment will take effect from 
January 2007 but will only apply to "visa 
facilitation" countries from January 2008.  The 
decision also allows for waiving visa fees for 
children under six years, pupils, students, and 
researchers.  EU countries will be able to decide on 
visa fee waivers for individuals from all countries 
on a case-by-case basis and will continue to set 
their own prices for long-stay visas.  Among other 
visa/asylum/immigration issues, the Council also 
reviewed the state of preparations for the creation 
of a second-generation Schengen Information System. 
Full text of Council conclusions has been 
transmitted to EUR/ERA.  END SUMMARY. 
 
HIGHER VISA FEES, BUT PLENTY OF EXEMPTIONS 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  The price of a short-stay visa for the EU's 
borderless Schengen zone will go up from EUR 35 to 
60 next year following a decision taken by the JHA 
Council that allows for more favorable treatment of 
EU neighbors.  The decision, based on qualified 
majority voting in the Council, was taken without 
the consent of Greece, Hungary and Sweden.  The 
adjustment, first requested by France several months 
ago, is intended to cover the additional costs 
relating to the introduction of biometric visas and 
the Visa Information System.  The amount for 
national long-stay visas will continue to be fixed 
by the individual member states, who may decide to 
issue these visas free of charge. 
 
¶3.  The adjustment will take effect on January 1, 
2007, but the deal allows for several exemptions as 
follows: 
 
-- In individual cases, the amount of the fee to be 
charged may be waived or reduced in accordance with 
national law "when this measure serves to promote 
cultural interests as well as interests in the field 
of foreign policy, development policy, other areas 
of vital public interest or for humanitarian 
reasons."  According to a Presidency official, case- 
by-case exemptions (one person, one trip) will apply 
"worldwide" and can be used for all nationalities. 
 
-- The visa fee is waived for visa applicants 
belonging to the following categories: 
 
-    Children under 6 years; 
-    School pupils, students, post graduate 
     students accompanying teachers who undertake 
     trips for the purpose of study or educational 
     training; 
-    Researchers from non-EU countries traveling 
     within the Community for the purpose of 
     carrying out scientific research as defined by 
     the EU legislation. 
 
-- Until January 1, 2008, the decision will not 
apply to visa fees for non-EU countries "in respect 
of which the Council has given the Commission a 
mandate to negotiate a visa facilitation agreement 
by January 1, 2007." 
 
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR NEIGHBORS 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  The Council and Commission confirmed their 
support for the development of visa facilitation 
agreements with non-EU countries, "emphasizing the 
need to negotiate parallel agreements on readmission 
with a view to the simultaneous entry into force of 
such agreements," according to a joint statement by 
the two bodies.  The Council invited the Commission 
to table draft mandates for negotiating visa 
facilitation and readmission agreements, "starting 
with the countries with a European perspective as 
referred to the European Council conclusions of June 
2003 and June 2005" (a formula that refers to the 
countries of Western Balkans).  Justice, Freedom and 
Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said the 
Commission would soon table proposals for 
negotiating visa facilitation agreements, starting 
with Macedonia, then Serbia-Montenegro, Bosnia- 
Herzegovina and Albania.  All these proposals would 
be tabled before the summer break so that 
negotiations could start "immediately thereafter." 
Frattini said he had in mind a "political package," 
including "measures to facilitate the circulation of 
people and measures to improve the security of 
member states."  EU sources said a "roadmap" for 
readmission discussions with the Western Balkan 
states could emerge after a Balkans security 
conference in Vienna on May 4. 
 
¶5.  Belarusian civil society activists and EU border 
traders are to get special exemptions from the visa 
price hikes.  Though failing to mention Belarus by 
name, the Council and Commission agreed that, in the 
context of promoting people-to-people contacts with 
neighboring countries, member states should "make 
use of the possibilities offered by the Schengen 
acquis in particular where such people to people 
contacts can contribute to the strengthening of 
civil society and democratization in those 
countries." 
 
¶6.  Reduced visa fees for Russians are expected to 
be part of the "visa facilitation agreement" to be 
signed at the May 25 EU-Russia Summit.  According to 
a Commission official, other provisions of the 
agreement will include simplified requirements for 
supporting documents, expedited issuance timelines, 
longer periods of validity and multiple entrance 
authorizations, as well as prohibitions on an exit 
visa requirements.  A complementary "readmission 
agreement" that will also be signed on May 25 will 
obligate Russia to take back illegal aliens being 
expelled from the Schengen area.  A Commission 
spokesman said Ukraine was expected to be next in 
line for a readmission agreement and that 
negotiations with Morocco were making good progress. 
However, Frattini made it clear he did "not see the 
possibility of applying to Morocco the rules to be 
applied to the Russian Federation." 
 
SIS II AND VIS MOVING FORWARD 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7.  The Council reviewed the state of preparations 
for the creation of the second-generation Schengen 
Information System (SIS II).  The main innovations 
are the inclusion of biometrics and the connection 
of the new member states to the database. 
Implementation of SIS II is an essential requirement 
for the lifting of internal borders with the new 
member states.  Because of this, bringing SIS II 
online as soon as possible is a high priority of the 
new member states. 
 
¶8. Most of the new member states tabled a joint 
statement calling on the Council to ensure that 
ongoing discussions on the legislative package would 
not delay the adoption of SIS II.  Austrian Interior 
Minister and Council Chairwoman Liese Prokop told 
reporters the Council should record agreement on the 
legal basis before this year's summer break in order 
for SIS II to be in operation by the end of March 
¶2007. 
 
¶9. The Council also confirmed the use of biometrics 
for identification purposes in the SIS II "as soon 
as it is technically possible."  (Note.  Biometrics 
will only be used to verify alphanumeric hits in the 
SIS II.  Biometric-based searches of the database 
for any purpose are not envisioned.  End note.) 
 
¶10. Regarding visas, Frattini also described plans 
to set up Common Application Centers in some non-EU 
pilot countries that would allow member states to 
share premises, staff and equipment for collecting 
biometric data from visa applicants.  Frattini told 
a press conference the Commission would soon submit 
a proposal for amending the Common Consular 
Instructions in order to create the necessary legal 
basis for this project. 
 
ASYLUM: SAFE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  Frattini updated the Council on Commission 
preparations for drawing up a common list of 
countries regarded by all EU member states as safe 
countries of origin when examining asylum claim. 
This controversial list, which has elicited 
criticism from UNHCR, is an adjunct to the Council 
Directive adopted last year which determines minimum 
standards on procedures for granting and withdrawing 
refugee status.  The list will enable member states 
to quickly reject claims from people originating 
from the listed countries.  EU sources said a 
preliminary version of the list included Mali, 
Benin, Mauritius, Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, 
Botswana, and Cape Verde. 
 
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND SOCCER WORLD CUP 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  The Council adopted conclusions stressing the 
determination of the Austrian Presidency to 
implement the EU action plan (adopted by the Council 
in December 2005) on best practices, standards and 
procedures for combating and preventing trafficking 
in human beings. 
¶13. Ministers welcomed the actions announced by 
Germany in connection with the Soccer World Cup to 
take place in June 2006.  Berlin will temporarily 
reinstall national border controls for all those 
entering the national territory, including for 
travelers origination within the Schengen zone, to 
help minimize potential threats from violent soccer 
fans, terrorists and organized criminals (including 
alien traffickers bringing in sex workers).  Prokop 
said Germany would share its experience after the 
World Cup, as a basis for drawing up best practices 
in this matter in view of future events. 
 
MISC: MIGRATION & DEVELOPMENT AND FRONTEX 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  Among other items, the Council also: 
 
- Heard a presentation by Special UNSYG for 
Migration Peter Sutherland on U.N. preparations for 
the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration 
and Development to take place in New York on 
September 14-16, 2005.  According to the Council 
conclusions, Sunderland wants to work toward 
establishing "a basic consensus that migration 
policies can offer potential win-win-win outcomes 
(source countries, receiving countries, migrants). 
 
- Adopted conclusions on strengthened practical 
cooperation in the field of asylum, as well as 
conclusions that give the EU Border Management 
Agency (Frontex) a coordinating role in the 
organization of joint charter flights for returning 
illegal immigrants from the EU.  FRONTEX, which is 
based in Warsaw, has been operational since summer 
2005 and will be responsible for drawing up common 
training standards and the organization of training 
courses for member state officials responsible for 
removal operations.  A 2004 Council Decision 
officially sanctioned such joint charter flights, 
which stop off in several member states to pick up 
deportees. 
 
GRAY