Baku – APA. The European Commission recommended May 4 that Turkish citizens be added to the list of countries to be exempt from visas when entering the Schengen zone, Hurriyet reports.
As part of a Turkey-EU migrant deal reached to curb the flow of migrants into the bloc, the EU pledged visa-free travel for Turkish citizens by July on the stipulation that Turkey met all 72 required criteria. Since March 18, when the deal was signed, Turkey has made intense efforts to pass all the laws needed to meet the 72 criteria. In its recommendation report, the commission said Turkey had not fulfilled all but most of the criteria, while also urging the country to meet the remaining criteria as immediately as possible.
“The European Commission is today proposing to lift the visa requirements for the citizens of Turkey” on condition that Ankara fulfills, “as a matter of urgency,” criteria set by the EU, according to a document tweeted by Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
The commission’s technical approval for visa liberalization is of crucial importance but the process will only be finalized if the European Parliament and the 28 member states of the European Council approve the decision, which are rather seen as political approvals.
The European Commission is expected to formally recommend visa-free travel after meeting on Wednesday. The waiver would scrap the requirement for Turks to get a three-month, short-stay Schengen visa for tourism or business trips. But it will not grant Turks the right to get a job in Europe.
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