VZCZCXRO4203
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHBS #1614/01 3351548
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011548Z DEC 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DOJ WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001614 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PREF SMIG CVIS EUN
SUBJECT: EU GRANTS VISA FREE TRAVEL TO CITIZENS OF 
SERBIA, MACEDONIA AND MONTENEGRO 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 1597 
 
BRUSSELS 00001614  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  EU ministers in the November 30 Justice and 
Home Affairs (JHA) Council decided to grant visa 
free travel to and throughout the Schengen area 
for citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. 
Ministers discussed the so-called "Stockholm 
Program" of EU activities in the area of freedom, 
security and justice for the period 2010-2014. 
They also reviewed the state of play concerning 
the development of the Visa Information System 
(VIS) and the Schengen Information System II (SIS 
II).  Full text of the JHA Council conclusions can 
be downloaded from the Council website 
(http://www.consilium.europa.eu/Newsroom).  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
VISA LIBERALIZATION FOR WESTERN BALKANS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  EU ministers meeting in the November 30 JHA 
Council decided to grant visa free travel to and 
throughout the Schengen area for citizens of 
Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.  Swedish 
Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy/Council 
chair Tobias Billstrom told a press conference the 
visa waiver would apply starting December 19, 2009 
to holders of biometric passports.  Billstrom said 
the EU's decision would "make a real difference 
for the citizens of the countries concerned, who 
will be able to spend Christmas in the EU." 
 
¶3.  Albania and Bosnia are not considered to have 
met all the benchmarks agreed under the visa 
liberalization dialogue between the EU and the 
countries of Western Balkans.  However, ministers 
agreed to a political declaration of the Council 
and European Parliament, which invites the 
Commission to propose visa liberalization for the 
two countries as soon as they comply with all the 
benchmarks.  The EU's stated aim is to achieve 
visa free travel for Bosnian and Albanian citizens 
"as soon as possible."  The main areas where 
benchmarks were set under the visa liberalization 
dialogue are border controls, passport security, 
fight against organised crime and corruption, as 
well as external relations and fundamental rights. 
 
¶4.  Taking questions, Billstrom highlighted the 
"very clear message" sent to Albania and Bosnia on 
the terms of future close cooperation with the 
Union.  Commission Vice-President Barrot, 
responsible for Freedom, Security and Justice, 
noted that the Commission already "has the 
possibility" to envisage some kind of visa 
facilitation for the two countries (i.e., cheaper 
visas for some categories of citizens).  Billstrom 
and Barrot said the Commission would soon send 
experts to assess progress made by Albania and 
Bosnia.  "If and when it turns out that major 
progress has been made, the Commission may put 
forward a proposal for liberalization," Barrot 
said. 
 
STOCKHOLM PROGRAM 
----------------- 
 
¶5.  In a public debate, ministers discussed the 
new multi-annual strategic work program of EU 
activities in the area of freedom, security and 
justice.  The so-called "Stockholm Program" (2010- 
14) follows on the Tampere Program (2000-2004) and 
the Hague Program (2005-2010), covering questions 
of citizenship, justice and security as well as 
asylum, migration and the external dimension of 
justice and home affairs.  Swedish Presidency and 
other EU sources described the Stockholm Program 
as putting "the citizen at the heart of EU 
action."  Discussions among Home Affairs ministers 
on aspects falling in their area of responsibility 
revealed a broad consensus on the draft.  Justice 
ministers discussed other parts of the draft on 
the second day of the JHA Council meeting, 
December 1.  The finishing touches will be 
incorporated in the draft in the coming days so 
that the document can be endorsed by EU leaders at 
 
BRUSSELS 00001614  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
their December 10-11 European Council meeting. 
 
VIS, SIS II AND IT AGENCY 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.   In the Mixed Committee (EU plus Schengen 
members Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and 
Switzerland), ministers noted the state of play 
regarding the development of the Visa Information 
System (VIS) and of the second-generation Schengen 
Information System (SIS II) intended to facilitate 
the exchange of information on persons and objects 
between national authorities in the enlarged 
Schengen area: 
 
-- Regarding VIS, ministers noted a revised 
timetable presented by the Commission, which sets 
December 2010 as the new target date for 
deployment of the system.  Once operational, VIS 
will support the implementation of the common visa 
policy and facilitate effective border control by 
enabling Schengen Member States to enter, update 
and consult visa data, including biometric data, 
electronically; 
 
-- Regarding SIS II, the development of which has 
been dogged by technical problems and delays, the 
next stage in the process is a technical test to 
be carried out at the end of January.  Ministers 
will then have a couple of months to decide on the 
next step.  Should the test fail, the SIS II 
project could be dropped and replaced by an 
enhanced version of the SISone4all currently in 
operation (so-called "SIS I+"). 
 
¶7.  In June 2009 the Commission proposed the 
setting up of an agency for large scale IT 
systems, which would be responsible for the 
operational management of VIS, SIS II and EURODAC, 
the IT system for comparing the fingerprints of 
asylum seekers and illegal immigrants.  The new 
agency would also be in charge of the operational 
aspects of any other large-scale IT systems 
developed in the future in the area of freedom, 
security and justice. 
 
OTHER ISSUES 
------------ 
 
¶8.  The Council discussed the state-of-play of the 
Common European Asylum System (REFTEL).  In 
particular, ministers noted an agreement reached 
between the Council and Parliament on the 
establishment of the European Asylum Support 
Office (EASO) aimed at improving the 
implementation of the Common European Asylum 
System, strengthening practical cooperation among 
Member States on asylum as well as providing and 
coordinating operational support to Member States 
facing specific and disproportionate pressures on 
their national asylum systems.  The EASO will be 
established in Valetta, Malta.  The relevant 
legislative instruments will be adopted in the 
near future.  The office will take over 
responsibility for certain operations that have 
until now been financed by the European Refugee 
Fund (ERF), which is intended to support Member 
States in granting reception conditions to 
refugees, displaced persons and beneficiaries of 
subsidiary protection. 
 
MURRAY