Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış Visited Strasbourg

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağıþ visited Strasbourg on September 28-29, 2011.

During this visit, the issue of Schengen visa applied to Turkish citizens was discussed in a special session in the European Parliament for the first time on September 28, 2011, with the attendance of Minister Bağıþ and Commissioner Cecila Malmström, Responsible for Home Affairs.

In the meeting, organized by Türkiye-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee, composed of members from Turkish Grand National Assembly and European Parliament, visa issue was discussed comprehensively. Minister Egemen Bağıþ stated that the EU implements visa exemption to many countries but avoids starting a similar process with Türkiye even though Türkiye is an acceding country. He claimed that this is an unjust and irrational implementation. Minister Bağıþ underlined once again that the main aim and right of Türkiye is to obtain visa exemption.

Commissioner Cecila Malmström announced in her meeting in the European Parliament that a road map for visa exemption would be prepared. Until this road map will be ready for implementation, several measures will be taken to reduce the visa related problems of Turkish citizens, beginning from autumn. Within this scope, the EU will issue long-term and multi-entry visas, time of acquiring visas will be reduced, number of required documents for visas will be decreased and long-term or permanent visas will be issued for people in certain category.

During his visit, the Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağıþ also met with Commissioner Stefan Füle, responsible for Enlargement, Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, responsible for Home Affairs, Helen Flautre, President of the Türkiye-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee, Ria Oomen Ruijten, European Parliament Rapporteur for Türkiye and presidents and members of the political groups and commissions in the European Parliament.