12:35 | Brussels, Feb. 12.
The European Parliament's (EP) Civil Liberties Committee approved on Wednesday a visa waiver for all citizens from Peru and Colombia who want to visit the 26 member countries of the Schengen Area.
According to Rodrigo Rivera, Colombian Ambassador to the European Union, the proposal on removing the Schengen visa requirements was backed by an overwhelming majority (49 votes in favor and 1 against).
On February 5, the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) approved, on behalf of the Council of the European Union, an agreement on a list of non-European countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement, including Peru and Colombia. The agreement is due to be put to a vote by the European Parliament as a whole in April.
The elimination of the visa requirement for Colombians and Peruvians to visit the Schengen Area, was proposed last August by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
The date when the decision will take effect has not yet been decided.
The Schengen Area comprises 22 of the 28 countries of the European Union: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Greece, along with non-members Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
(END) VVS/GCO/DLG
Published: 2/12/2014