Council conclusions on the Republic of Moldova – Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation

3199th FOREIG AFFAIRS Council meeting Brussels, 19 ovember 2012

Brussels, 21-11-2012 — /europawire.eu/ — The Council adopted the following conclusions:

“The Council reaffirms the EU’s commitment to the shared objective of visa-free travel for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova in due course provided that the conditions for well-managed and secure mobility as set out in the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation are in place. In this context, the Council, recalling that such an Action Plan was presented to the authorities of the Republic of
Moldova in January 2011 and that two reports on its implementation were presented by the Commission services in September 2011 and in February 2012, welcomes the Commission’s third report of 22 June 2012 on the implementation by the Republic of Moldova of the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation. The Council also welcomes the Commission’s report on possible migratory and
security impacts on the European Union of future visa liberalisation for the Republic of Moldova, and underlines its importance as well as the need to address the identified potential impacts and measures in the process of implementing the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation, including as regards the integration of minorities, the tackling of illegal migration and the fight against
trafficking in human beings.

Building on these reports, the Council shares the analysis that the Republic of Moldova has fulfilled all the benchmarks under the first phase of the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation, and decides to launch the assessment of the benchmarks set out under the second phase. In this connection, the Council stresses the need for full and effective implementation of all the benchmarks under the second phase.

The Council invites the Commission to continue supporting the Republic of Moldova in implementing the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation, as well as to continue reporting about the implementation thereof, including on the follow-up to the Commission’s report on possible migratory and security impacts, with a view to deciding on the fulfilment of all the benchmarks of the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation.”

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