eu-com-schengen-coop

In total 4,249 BiH citizens applied for asylum in the top five Member States and Schengen
Associated Countries in 2013, which is a slight decrease of 4 percent compared to the figures
presented in 2012.
The return of those asylum seekers which received a negative decision is ongoing. While most of
the return is voluntary, there are also a number of forced returns. Most of the EU MS is applying the
return directive and provide the returned and unfounded asylum seekers with a ban to enter
Schengen for a period of 2-5 years. EU MS counsellor offices have paid attention to an increase of
BiH citizens asking whether they are in the Schengen Information System (SIS). The reason for this
could be that many of the BiH asylum seekers which have been deported during 2013 have received
a SIS ban.
Germany has in the beginning of 2014 launched an initiative to put asylum seekers from Bosnia and
Herzegovina (Serbia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)) on the list of “safe
countries”, thereby introducing a fast track of the assessment of the asylum application.
4.3 Suspension Mechanism introduced
Following the adoption of a set of amendments to the EU visa rules (Regulation 539/2001), the
amendments entered into force on 9 January 2014. The amendments include a new visa-waiver
suspension mechanism to ensure that visa free travel does not lead to irregularities or abuse. The
new visa waiver suspension mechanism will contribute to preserving the integrity of the visa
liberalisation processes and to build credibility vis-à-vis the citizens. It will allow, under strict
conditions and after thorough assessment by the European Commission, for the temporary
reintroduction of visa requirements for citizens of third countries. The aim is to address emergency
situations caused by the abuse of the visa-free regime by nationals exempted from the visa
obligation.
4.4 Travel documents
There are two passports in circulation; i) old passports, valid until 15 October 2014 and ii)
biometric passports, which were introduced from 15 October 2009. The visa free regime is applied
only for holders of biometric passports. In March 2014, there were 1.773.475 biometric passports
issued in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 34.622 old type passports still in circulation. Comparing
these figures with last years figures, it can be noted that the total number of passports in circulation
has further increased with 242.950. The total figure means that 49 percent of citizens of Bosnia and
Herzegovina have a valid BiH passport. This is 3 percent more than last year. The three percent
increase of passport holders is linked to that many BiH citizens in the past has travelled on their ID
cards to Croatia, which since Croatia accession not possible any more. It shall be noticed that many
BiH citizens residing in BiH have double citizenship and therefore have access to a Croatian,
Serbian or other EU Member State passport, which means that much more than 49 percent of the
citizens of BiH are holders of a valid travel document.
Bosnia and Herzegovina introduced Extended Access Control in line with EC Directive on 1 June
2010. Biometric passports issued since include better digital certificates and special protection of
fingerprints compared to previous generations of biometric passports.
The BiH ID cards are in line with ICAO standards and are currently used as a travel document to i)
Montenegro and ii) Serbia. It was also used as travel document to Croatia during the first six
months of 2013, but such border regime ceased due to Croatia accession to the EU. A new
generation of ID cards started to be issued on 1 March 2013. The new BiH ID card harmonises the
biometric elements with the BiH biometric passports and include i) Basic Access Control, BAC
12893/14 PR/lm 37
DG D 1 A
EN