eu-com-schengen-coop

agreements with chambers of commerce and similar structures, aimed at reducing the amount of
supporting document needed for business visa applications.
Therefore the EUD offered to conduct a study – named "LSC-Turkey 2014" – to highlight the
discrepancies in terms of a harmonised approach. The study will be carried out by the SNE Jörg
Dieter Köstinger. The study is at the stage of merging the answers from the interview with the
answers of the online questioner. Single Results are already available. The whole study is expected
to be finished by end of the year.
3.2 Assessment of the need to harmonise the lists of supporting documents
A full comparative assessment of the harmonised lists of supporting documents for Turkey seems to
be necessary, in particular with regard to flight / travel reservations or other proof of
transport/accommodation and evidence of hotel bookings.
This kind of study will be part of the study "LSC-Turkey 2014".
3.3. Exchange of information
Monthly statistics have been collected by each MS consulate/embassy location. There are
comprehensive monthly statistics since 2010, allowing the EUD and the MS to carry out monthly
and yearly comparisons and analyses at local level.
Several information requests have been circulated among the LSC, aiming at better coordination
and harmonization of practices. Information on fraudulent visa requests has also been regularly
shared, with the aim of preventing illegal migration.
Also for the current reporting period, a regular information exchange on different methods of
handling visa requests from Syrian nationals at MS’ embassies in Turkey took place within the LSC
platform, also including the exchange of statistics relating to both visa and asylum requests by
Syrian nationals.
The validity of insurances subscribed by third country nationals without valid Turkish residence
permit were equally addressed within LSC and later in the year a clarification by the Turkish
Ministry of Finance was made sent to clarify this question.
LSC took note of the Greek pilot project with short stay visas from Aegean coastal areas to seven
selected Greek islands, simplifying entry procedures during the summer season
LSC took note of NL and DE practices in relation to service providers and independent
businesspersons, following the court ruling in the Soysal case.
LSC also exchanged information on the MS practices concerning the transmission of data from
Schengen visa application files at the request of Turkish authorities, notably on the need to use the
judicial cooperation mechanisms for that purpose.
Besides taking notice of Member States bilateral resettlement programs for Syrian refugees, LSC
addressed regularly several aspects of the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis in the Schengen visa
practice in Turkey, notably on: i) how family reunion is being interpreted and applied in “Syrian
cases”; ii) in what circumstances Member States are resorting to “visas with limited territorial
validity” in this context; iii) how to assess documents presented by Syrian nationals in support of
their visa request; iv) the impact of “usurpation of identity documents” (look alike cases) in the
assessment of a Syrian visa request.
12893/14 PR/lm 179
DG D 1 A
EN