eu-com-schengen-coop

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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 <strong>com</strong>pared 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 <strong>com</strong>pared 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
(BAC is a mechanism specified to ensure only authorised parties can wirelessly read personal information) and ii) Extended Access Control, EAC (EAC allows authorised inspection systems to read sensitive biometric data such as fingerprints). The new ID cards also include a digital profile. The ID card has optional qualified electronic signature (signature in relation to data in electronic form treated in the same manner as a hand-written signature in relation to paper-based data). In addition, it includes optional stipulation of blood group and entity citizenship. The current ID cards will be valid until the expiring date stipulated at the card. However, some 2.000.000 BiH citizens' ID cards will expire in 2013 and 2014, which means that more than half of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are to change their ID cards until 2015. Until March 2014, 527.788 have taken out a new ID card and there is still 2.630.190 of old ID cards in circulation. Croatia launched an official request to the Irish EU Presidency on 6 March 2013, asking to continue its current border regime with Bosnia and Herzegovina where citizens can travel with ID card only across the border following Croatia’s accession. As the current regime is not in line with Schengen border code where you have to stamp the travel document on entry/exit, the request was rejected in the Council in June 2013. 5. Other issues discussed 5.1 Kosovo introduced visa towards citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina Following the adoption of a decision on introducing visa for BiH citizens by the Kosovo authorities on 16 December 2013, the decision entered into force on 15 January 2014. Short term visas for BiH citizens can be applied for in the Kosovo Consular Office in Tirana. The BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepared an amendment to their visa decision where they are proposing to delete article 6, which regulate the visa regime with Kosovo. This means that BiH would apply normal visa procedure for Kosovars and putting the visa sticker in the Kosovo passport instead of on a separate piece of paper, which has been the case so far. It also mean that the Consular section of BiH embassies will take the decision on the short term visa and no more need for the BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs to approve each short term visa application for Kosovars. However, the decision was discussed in the Council of Ministers session in January, where it was concluded that the BiH Presidency shall give its opinion on it. However, the three members of the BiH Presidency have not been able to reach a consensus whereof the decision remains pending. 12893/14 PR/lm 38 DG D 1 A EN
Page 1 and 2: Council of the European Union Bruss
Page 3 and 4: SENEGAL* SERBIA SOUTH KOREA SRI LAN
Page 5 and 6: 3.2 Assessment of the need to harmo
Page 7 and 8: The harmonisation of the list of su
Page 9 and 10: 5 réunions habituelles (en avril,
Page 11 and 12: EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO ARGENT
Page 13 and 14: The main challenge for 2014 with re
Page 15 and 16: organized as another step in the pu
Page 17 and 18: The EUDEL held an extraordinary mee
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Page 21 and 22: information via established Local S
Page 23 and 24: 3.3 Exchange of information Monthly
Page 25 and 26: EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO THE RE
Page 27 and 28: 4. Challenges 1. Response to challe
Page 29 and 30: A partir du 31 mars 2014, aucun vis
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Page 33 and 34: The harmonization of the list of su
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Page 63 and 64: Related to the "ban" on setting up
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3. Etat des lieux 3.1 Application d
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EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO INDIA
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exchange served as a basis for futu
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more useful than the previous ones
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Other SGs focused on the assessment
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This report was prepared by the EUD
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any implications. While there were
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3.1 Application of the Visa Code In
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This report has been approved by th
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Precise formulations were found to
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3.7 Any other initiative taken in L
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EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION OF THE EU
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4. Challenges in 2014-2015 On local
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2. LSC meetings held in 2013-2014 F
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5. Other issues Kosovo is still con
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La coopération est encouragée et
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UNION EUROPEENNE DELEGATION EN REPU
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EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO MONTEN
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isks. Therefore, in general terms,
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3.2 Assessment of the need to harmo
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- Belgium - France - Germany - The
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oader scale changes both in Abuja a
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30 May 2014 LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERAT
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Ensure that regular meetings of con
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applications for Filipino applicant
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done to discuss how an accredited c
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The Schengen Member States and EUD
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LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERATION (LSC) in
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As regards the challenges indicated
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The key challenge during the report
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UNION EUROPÉENNE Délégation en R
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EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO THE RE
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LSC Serbia Schengen office 2012 A v
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The possibility to trigger such a '
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Coordination meetings are chaired b
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from the US Foreign Service Institu
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The EU Delegations main role in the
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LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERATION (LSC) in
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European Economic and Trade Office
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that as a reciprocity measure the E
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From 2013 on Schengen states' citiz
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Republic. In at least one instance
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September 2013. Because of the larg
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The participation of Bulgaria, Roma
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LSC exchanged information on the co
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% Multiple entry % refusal rate 201
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3.2. Exchange of information on the
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Early 2013 the Yammer tool for exch
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provide solutions for approval by t
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EUDEL has also been regularly updat
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3. State of play 3.1 Application of
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Annex 1: Representation arrangement
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2. LSC meetings in 2013-2014 Three
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EUROPEAN UNION Office of the Europe
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3.2 Assessment of the need to harmo
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Due to difficulties in harmonising
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