EU rules on short-stay visas apply to non-EU citizens who need a visa (61 countries or territories are exempt) to visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, work, training, family, or other reasons.
The Commission says that changes will address “several shortcomings”, one of which concerns business travellers.
According to a call for evidence published this week, the Commission intends to “explore ways to facilitate travel for reliable applicants and trusted business travellers, including through possible common lists of verified companies by third country or jurisdiction.”
“Employees of such companies could benefit from targeted and proportionate facilitations such as fast-track processing, priority appointments and/or fewer supporting documents,” the Commission says.
The document argues that “business travellers acting on behalf of trusted companies generally present a lower risk profile and are reliable”, but at present there is no common EU approach to identify them or their corporate sponsors.
Some EU countries offer national or sector-specific facilitation schemes, but these do not apply across the Schengen area. This creates “fragmentation” for companies active in multiple countries, “as their employees may face different procedures, requirements for supporting documents, and processing conditions” depending on the Member State responsible for the application.
The new proposal, expected in the first quarter of 2027, also seeks to tighten rules regarding third countries that “do not sufficiently cooperate” in the fight against illegal migration, migrant smuggling or security.
The Commission is considering how to introduce restrictive visa measures at the EU level “in cases of a serious deterioration in the political or security situation in a non-EU country.” This includes in the event of “hostile actions, hybrid threats, information manipulation and interference, the instrumentalisation or weaponisation of migration, acts of sabotage, espionage or open aggression.”
As part of the initiative, the EU executive is also looking at a “harmonised additional charge levied at EU level on top of the Schengen visa fee” whose revenues will support the “further development of the common visa policy,” the document says.
In 2024, Schengen countries (EU member states except for Ireland and Cyprus, plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) received more than 11.7 million applications for short-stay visas and issued almost 10.3 million visas.
The Commission has invited “interested stakeholders”, including people living in the EU, citizens of non-EU countries, national authorities, businesses, travellers and civil society organisations to send comments by 6 October via this link.
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