Citizens from the Republic of Moldova are one step away from travelling without visas in the EU. The Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the European Parliament voted today in favour of the proposal to lift travel visas for Moldovan citizens holding a biometric passport. The visa liberalisation proposal will be voted in the EP plenary in Strasbourg on the 25th of February.

 

The EPP Group Rapporteur, Vice-Chairman Marian-Jean Marinescu, commented: “The procedure was quick, it went very well. In November, the European Commission proposed that visas are lifted, and in less than three months we did everything necessary and the Parliamentary Committee voted in favour of the proposal. The EP plenary will now cast the final vote on the 25th of February and I am 100% sure that we will have a positive result. The Republic of Moldova needs to be supported and encouraged to tighten its relations with Europe, and the efforts of the Chisinau government in accomplishing key reforms, in line with EU values, need to be rewarded. There is a large majority in the EP in this respect. Moldovan citizens will travel freely in the EU in a maximum of three months.”

 

Marian-Jean Marinescu was also the EP Rapporteur on the proposal that led to the simplification of the visa procedures for Moldovan citizens travelling to the EU, approved last year.