This is a press release from the European Commission

Declaration of Vice-President Franco Frattini on the launch of a visa free dialogue with Serbia

Vice-President Franco Frattini, Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security announced today that the European Commission launches a visa free dialogue with Serbia. The first meeting at technical level will take place in Belgrade on 30th January 2008.

"Considering that people to people contacts are key elements towards closer cooperation between EU and Serbia and seen the fact that technical preparations are sufficiently advanced, I have decided to launch a structured dialogue with the Serbian authorities on a future visa free regime for Serbian citizens travelling to the European Union. The first meeting at technical level will take place in Belgrade on 30th January 2008.

This dialogue is a tangible proof of the political commitments taken by the EU and reaffirms the European perspective of Serbia; it constitutes another concrete step forward in easing travel conditions for Serbian citizens after the entry into force (since 1 January 2008) of the Visa Facilitation Agreement between the EC and Serbia.

In line with the existing criteria and rules of the Community legal order on short term visas, the visa free dialogue will allow both parties to identify key areas for actions such as illegal immigration, public order and security. It will result in mutually agreed conditions to be met by the Serbian authorities for eventual visa free regime. Moreover it will allow better monitoring of the progress made by the implementation of measures taken by the Serbian authorities in view of achieving visa free travel for Serbian citizens in the future. I also note with satisfaction that Serbia will be introducing biometric passports as of March 2008."

Sito della Commissione Europea