The ALDE Group in the European Parliament welcomes the European Commission's proposal to lift visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens when travelling to the Schengen area.

ALDE Group leader, Guy Verhofstadt, who supported the visa liberalisation process for Ukrainians, said:

"It took 8 years to have this proposal on the table. I call on the Council, the Member States and the Parliament to move forward and to approve it without delay.

Once adopted, this proposal will allow ordinary Citizens to visit EU countries without the hassles of long visa queues outside EU embassies.

I strongly support a European Ukraine - a Ukraine closely integrated with the EU and the transatlantic community; visa-free travel is an important and long awaited measure which has to go hand in hand with further assistance.

In Kiev, a strong reformist government is needed to deliver the political, economic and judicial reforms to set Ukraine free of oligarchic influence."

The Commission's proposal needs to be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in order to enter into force and it will allow Ukrainian citizens, with a valid biometric passport, to benefit of short stays of up to 90 days to the Schengen area. The visa-free travel will apply to all EU Member States except for Ireland and the UK, as well as the four Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and does not provide the right to work in the EU.

ENDS