EU Visa Crackdown: ⚠️ Geopolitical Shocks 🚀📈

World News

The European Union currently offers visa-free travel to 61 countries, encompassing destinations like Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. Under this arrangement, visitors can typically spend up to 90 days within the Schengen area over a 180-day period without requiring a visa. Recognizing the need for flexibility, the EU has maintained a system since 2013, enabling member states to temporarily suspend visa-free access when necessary. In 2023, the European Commission proposed updates to address evolving security concerns, and following approval by the European Parliament in October, the EU Council agreed to new rules. These updated rules empower the EU to revoke visa-free status for countries that don't align with EU visa policies. Specifically, a country could lose its visa-free access if it permits third-country nationals to obtain citizenship through investment programs, or if it’s involved in serious human rights violations or hostile actions targeting the EU – encompassing activities like cyberattacks, economic espionage, or disruptions to critical infrastructure. For example, the EU recently suspended visa-free access for Vanuatu due to its investor citizenship scheme. The implementation of these new rules will follow a 20-day publication period in the Official Journal. The suspension period for initial breaches has been increased from nine to twelve months, with a potential extension of another 24 months before a permanent revocation is considered. Furthermore, the EU can react to heightened levels of serious crime or a significant increase in unsuccessful asylum applications, overstays, or entry denials – utilizing a lowered threshold of 30% compared to the previous standard of 50%.