Visa-free travel in EU for Eastern European countries grants access to 50 MILLION new migrants
THE European Union has granted visa-free travel to 50 million Ukrainians and Georgians.
However, the decision will not affect Britain as it applies only to member states that are part of the Schengen Zone.
Officials said a deal had been struck yesterday to end an internal EU dispute that had been holding up the promised measures.
Late-night talks involving EU member states and the European Parliament had reached a compromise on the terms of a mechanism that can be used to suspend the visa-free schemes in emergencies.
The two former Soviet Union republics are seeking to move further away from their former master Moscow and closer to the West.
But they have grown frustrated that the EU was failing to deliver.
After last year's migration crisis, EU governments had grown nervous of reaction against a move to make visits easier for 45 million Ukrainians, as well as five million Georgians.
European Parliament member Kati Piri tweeted that the "Celebrations in Tbilisi that finally visa free travel for Georgians is in sight. Important that EU keeps its promise when country delivers!"
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The deal on visa suspension must still be formally approved by the member states and the European Parliament.
"This agreement is balanced, and is extremely important for both the effectiveness and credibility of the union's visa liberalisation policy," Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak said. "The current suspension mechanism is not adequate and will now be improved."
He added: "The fact that we have reached an agreement should open the door to further progress on visa liberalisation talks with other countries that meet all the necessary requirements," Kalinak added.
Under the deal, visa requirements may be reintroduced if there is a surge of citizens from a non-EU country like Ukraine or Georgia staying irregularly in EU territory.
Ukranians and Georgians hope the formal decisions will swiftly be granted allowing them to start travelling to EU countries without a visa starting next year.
European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn also urged the EU Council and European Parliament to a make decision about Georgia's visa waiver "as soon as possible”.
Which countries are part of the agreement?
The Schengen Area is the area composed of 26 European states that have officially abolished passport and any other type of border control at their mutual borders.
There are 26 Schengen countries - 22 EU members and four non-EU - those four are Iceland and Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Only six of the 28 EU member states are outside the Schengen zone - Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the UK
Meanwhile, top Supreme Court judge Lord Neuberger openly questioned whether a second vote on triggering Article 50 is now needed – given last night’s show of hands in the Commons.
Speaking just hours before MPs backed a Brexit, Lord Neuberger said it would “seem a bit odd” to the man in the street if MPs were asked to go back and do it all again.
The comment came on the third day of the Supreme Court hearing into whether Theresa May must ask for Parliamentary backing before formally kick-starts EU divorce talks by invoking Article 50.
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