Category: Business Support

In the beginning of April it became clear that the European Committee plans new regulations for people outside the European Union who wish to visit the visa free Schengen zone for short trips, business meetings and holidays. The European Committee in the face of the Euro Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström hopes that these new measures and smarter visa policy concerning the Schengen visas for short stays will attract more tourists, students, artists and business people to Europe.

The offer of the European Committee for alleviation of the Schengen visa requirements include several measures. The first one is for a shorter period for the processing and decision making for granting a visa from 15 days to a period of 10 days. The second one is to give an opportunity for submission of Schengen visa applications in countries of the European Union that are in case the Commonwealth is responsible for examining the application or if there is no representation in the country of application. There are plans for various reductions for the regular passengers, as well as a visa for multiple entries that will be valid for three years.

The rest of the Schengen visa alleviations requirements include a simple application form, a chance for online application, a chance for special schemes for Schengen visa granting at the very border for stays up to 15 days in the travel free zone of Schengen. The European Union will also get the opportunity to issue Schengen visas if the visitor comes for an important event. The authorities are even thinking of a new visa type that will allow the travelers to move into the travel free Schengen zone for a period of up to one year, in case they do not leave the member state they are staying at for a period longer of 90 days. All these changes need to be improved by the European Parliament and the EU Council, however this is expected to happen no earlier than in 2015. In case these changes enter into force, they will apply to all countries in the European Union, the Schengen area and the associated countries of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland.

On the first day of April the European Committee made an offer the provision of an easy access for short-term trips in the Schengen zone. The committee noted that many citizens from countries that are not part of the European Union and want to travel to the countries in the Schengen area, have to face a long and expensive procedure in order to be issued visas, even if they plan just a short trip. Thanks to that offer, it is believed that these visa procedures for short stays will be reduced and simplified. This step is expected to result in less bureaucracy and savings, yet the security level will remain the same.

The easier access to the Schengen visas will increase the number of short stays to relatives and friends, and the number of short business trips. As a result, this will increase the economic activity and will be beneficial for all parties. According to a recent study, the flexible requirements when Schengen visa issues are concerned will result in up to 60 % increase in the short trips in the passport free Schengen zone. People from South Africa and Saudi Arabia, from India, China, Russia and Ukraine will be able to travel more. Bulgaria hopes to become part of the Schengen zone for free traveling by the end of this year. Currently, the Bulgarian citizens do not need visas in order to enter the Schengen travel free area for short periods of time.

In an interview for the Bulgarian newspaper Capital, Mr. Anri Malos the President of the European Economic and Social Council announced that Bulgaria should take certain measures in order to improve its status and appearance among the other countries in the European Union. According to Mr. Anri Malos Bulgaria should make efforts to support its young people, to offer them good education and to create a positive atmosphere of trust. The young people in Bulgaria should be given a feeling of stability and brighter future.

In order for Bulgaria to be accepted by its partners in the European Union and to finally become member of the Schengen agreement, the country has to change its image and should be presented as a beautiful country with a lot of potential in front of the investors and the local young people. Mr. Anri Malos said that the effect of the European funds is easy to be spotted all over the country and these funds helped the local authorities improve the infrastructure of the country and he gave as an example the highway from Sofia to Bourgas. According to Mr. Anri Malos, Bulgaria can now use the European funds and programs investing in the young people and their education and in innovations.

In a recent interview in front of Capital newspaper, the President of the European Economic and Social Council Anri Malos said that Bulgaria has to invest in the education of its young people and in various innovations, in order to improve its image and to become a desired member of the travel free Schengen zone. According to Mr. Malos, the aim of the organization European Economic and Social Council is to stay close to people, to listen to their needs and to help them in giving their best to their own country and the world.

Mr. Anri Malos commented that people in some of the European countries still think that the expansion of the European Union towards East and the acceptance of countries such as Bulgaria and Romania was not a good decision. Why is this so? According to Mr. Anri Malos, the expansion of the European Union was not properly explained to these people as something that is important and necessary. Currently, the French Interior Minister Mr. Manuel Vals is against the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen. Unless the reaction and attitude of these people changes, there will always be politicians that will make use of the situation to chase their own goals.

It seems that for so many years now Romania and Bulgaria dream about being part of the Schengen zone for passport free traveling and this still remains a dream. Recently, the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Mr. Kristian Vigenin expressed hopes that the bid for entry of his country will finally be considered and that Bulgaria will become part of the visa free Schengen zone. At the same time, Romania intends to put concrete and sharp questions for entering the travel free Schengen zone in front of the leaders of the Council of European Union in May. The intentions of Romania were announced by the president of the county, Mr. Traian Basescu after his meeting with the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

It is a fact that Romania and Bulgaria do qualify for Schengen, however their entry is made difficult from certain member countries which are willing to see positive reports of the European Commission for the two countries in order to agree to the extension of the visa free zone of Schengen. It is a fact that Romania and Bulgaria are now truly disappointed by the Schengen entry mechanism, which has turned to be a tool for political games. The politicians from the two countries feel that this mechanism is not used for acknowledging the efforts that the two countries have made and are currently making.

The Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Kristian Vigenin has expressed his hopes about Bulgaria being able to access the Schengen area by the end of 2014. In front of BGNES news agency, the Foreign Minister stated that he does not expect for a decision to be reached on the entry of Bulgaria into Schengen by the end of the six months Greek Presidency in July 2014. Yet, the Foreign Minister hopes that there will be a positive decision on the Bulgarian entry into the travel free zone of Schengen by the end of this year. Mr. Kristian Vigenin informed the news agency that the efforts of the authorities to achieve the goal of Bulgaria being part of the visa free zone continue. He also stressed that the coming new European Parliament elections in May are not the best possible moment to bring up that special issue.

According to the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Mr. Kristian Vigenin, Bulgaria was not obliged to take part at the Geneva international peace conference Conference on Syria at the end of January, which was attended by only nine out of the 28 member states of the European Union. Mr. Kristian Vigenin explained though that the refugee issue is among the top priorities and issues to be solved during the Greek presidency of the European Union Council. The rotating presidency of the European Union will be taken over by Italy.

Bulgaria became a member of the European Union in the beginning of 2007 and by 2011 it was ready in technical terms to enter the borderless travel zone of the Schengen agreement. Several of the founding members of the Schengen zone however opposed to the enlargement of the visa free area and the newcomers Romania and Bulgaria. One of the countries that severely opposed to Bulgaria entering the Schengen area is the old member country The Netherlands. The country stated that it will lift its veto if Bulgaria receives two monitoring reports under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism from the European Commission which are positive. Until that very moment, neither Bulgaria, no Romania have received such positive reports from the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism committee.

The Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Christian Vigenin hopes to have good discussions with the other member states in the European Union on the future of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. He commented that he expects such discussions to take place once the new commissioners take over. The Minister hopes to discuss with the commissioners how Bulgaria complies with that mechanism ad if it works in the proper way to achieve results. Mr. Christian Vigenin further said that he expects the country to enter the travel free Schengen zone by year 2018 when the country is expected to take over the European Union rotating presidency. He said that the Bulgaria is ready to solve all its issues and become part of the Schengen agreement even sooner than that timeframe.

After several years of preparations and hopes, on 20th January this year Bulgaria admitted that its entry into the passport free travel zone of Schengen will most probably take place in three or four years period. According to information provided by the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, the country is invited and is expected to enter the borderless Schengen area in 2017 or 2018, when the country will also take over the rotating Council presidency of the European Union. The Minister of Foreign affairs said that he expects the decision which concerns the bid of Bulgaria to be taken in 2014. The minister hopes that the air borders of the country to open in 2015, followed by opening of the land borders in 2017. This means that Bulgaria is expected to become a full member of the Schengen area by 2018. This plan for Bulgaria to enter Schengen is seen by the minister as realistic.

In 2007 Bulgaria joined the European Union and three years later the country was technically ready to join the travel free zone of Schengen. Actually, the country hoped to enter the Schengen agreement in 2011. Unfortunately for Bulgaria, several of the founding members of the Schengen agreement, in particular Germany and the Netherlands, opposed to the newcomers in the face of Bulgaria and Romania and they have successfully used their veto on several occasions.

The President of Bulgaria Mr. Rosen Plevneliev attended a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves. The conference took place during the official visit of the Estonian President in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia city. As Focus News Agency informed, the President of Bulgaria confirmed that Bulgaria appreciates the support of Estonia for Bulgaria’s wish to become part of the Schengen area. The Bulgarian President Mr. Rosen Plevneliev further stated that Bulgaria and Estonia are working together in NATO, where the two countries are honorable members.

The two presidents of Bulgaria and Estonia made time on their joint conference to reassure the press that they will proceed and even strengthen the cooperation between two countries. Bulgaria and Estonia plan to work together in the cyber security field and to cooperate in the cyber defense center of NATO in Denmark. The head of the state, Mr. Rosen Plevneliev further expressed his vision for the two countries to support the policy on enlargement with the other Western Balkan countries and to support their bid for integration in the European Union. That is why it comes as no surprise that Estonia stands strong behind its support offered to Bulgaria as far as Schengen membership is concerned.

The Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Christian Vigenin informed that it is most likely that Bulgaria will receive an invitation in order to become a member of the Schengen travel free zone. According to the expectations of the minister, this is supposed to be a final decision based on solid and well considered observations. The Foreign Minister informed the Bulgarian society that he expects that the opening of the Schengen travel free zone will be done in two stages. The first stage of the Schengen opening would be by air and later on, the second stage would be by land. Naturally, this opening of the Schengen passport free travel zone will be done later and not automatically. Most probably Bulgaria will become a member of the Schengen agreement in several years period. According to the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Christian Vigenin, Bulgaria will enter Schengen visa free zone by year 2018.

Currently Bulgaria is not part of the Schengen zone, yet de facto and even not de jure, Bulgaria feels as part of the Schengen zone. This is so as the country is applying all the regulations and rules validated by Schengen. By year 2018, the minister expects the European Union monitoring on the Bulgarian judiciary system to be removed. He also believes that at that time Bulgaria will keep the presidency of the European Union. The Foreign Minister was on an official visit in Britain, where he was assured that no discrimination rules shall be applied to the Bulgarians working there.