Could there soon be free travel between the EU and Russia? a step closer to that with negotiations..

[pampango]

Could there soon be free travel between the EU and Russia? In Brussels, the two powers have taken a step closer to that with negotiations on the abolition of the visa regime.

The document sets out four chapters where EU and Russian policies will have to meet – biometric passports, dealing with illegal immigration, security matters such as coordinating the fight against organised crime and terrorism, and lastly, the abolition of registration for EU citizens who go to Russia.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon ratify the full text according to the Russian representative in Brussels Vladimir Voronko: “If we get approval by the 27 EU countries and Russia, then it’s highly possible that the document will be ratified during the EU-Russia summit in Brussels at the end of the year.”

The agreement would be limited to countries within the Schengen Area (25 countries), which does not include Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus. Countries outside the EU, such as Switzerland, Iceland and Norway will have to sign special agreements with Moscow.

http://www.euronews.net/2011/07/13/russia-and-eu-move-closer-to-visa-abolition/

[dipsydoodle]

1. Would make sense

given the common border.