Ukraine wants visa-free entry to EU by 2012

Ukrainians could be able to enter the EU without a visa in time for the 2012 Uefa football championships if talks with the European commission go well, said the country’s foreign minister Volodymyr Ogryzko.

Speaking after the launch of talks on a visa-free regime between the two sides, Ogryzko said, “I’m sure we will be done within four years because both sides have the good will to do it.

“For Ukraine is it essential to finish the process by 2012.”

However, EU justice commissioner Jacques Barrot was less specific about deadlines, saying that the process would take “many years”.

Ukraine has allowed EU citizens to cross its borders visa free since 2005, but is subject from the EU side to rules on visa ‘facilitation’ – rules the Ukrainians say are not functioning as well as they should.

Anecdotal evidence obtained by the Ukrainian foreign ministry shows that Ukrainians trying to obtain visas from EU member states are subject to varying prices and application processes, depending on which embassy and which member state they apply to.

The rules on visa facilitation came into force in January this year, but according to high-level sources in Ukraine, embassies including the Spanish, German and Belgian ones have been particularly difficult to deal with.

Ukrainians are often forced to pay more than the €35 limit set by the EU under the terms of the agreement, have to deal with intermediary agencies and will often have to wait for extended periods of time before being able to get their visas.

In parallel with the visa-free dialogue, Barrot said he will look into discrepancies in the current regime, especially the difficulties in obtaining multiple long-stay visas.

The start of visa-free talks was agreed at a summit of EU and Ukrainian leaders in September. Talks will progress from Thursday to the setting up of working groups, and Barrot says the EU is ready to offer Ukraine any help and advice it needs to meet its requirements along the way – “including some financial assistance, if it is possible”, said Ogryzko.

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