After UAE was added on the Schengen visa-free list by the Security and Policy Committee of the European Union earlier this month, the European Parliament (EP) allow UAE citizens to travel freely to countries in the European Schengen Area.
In November 2012, the European Commission proposed adding five Caribbean Island Nations, 10 Pacific Island Nations, and Timor-Leste to the list of third countries and territories, whose nationals are exempt from the visa obligation. After discussions with the European Parliament and the Council, in December, the United Arab Emirates, Peru and Columbia were added to the original list, which was the first step to acquiring Schengen visa-free status.
During Thursday’s plenary session of the EP in Strasbourg, the UAE, together with Peru, Columbia and the other 16 small nations in the Caribbean and Pacific regions, were finally allowed to come to the Schengen area without a visa. The decision allows Emiratis, or more precisely UAE citizens, to travel to Europe for business, touristic or family visit purposes. According to Cecilia Malstrom, Commissioner for Home Affairs, this will open up opportunities not for UAE citizens only, but for EU citizens, as well, as current visa requirements for people from the EU will also be eliminated.
The opportunities that are opening now to Emiratis are clear – travel restrictions will be highly reduced, planning trips will be much less complicated, and applying for visa, with all its requirements, will now be completely eliminated. According to Sulaiman Al Mazroui, UAE Ambassador to the European Union, the success is a result of the “relentless efforts” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The visa waiver agreement will enter into force for UAE citizens only after ratification procedures are completed in both EU and United Arab Emirates, which means in 2015 at the earliest.
