By Bruno Waterfield - 9th March 2006
Temporary visa requirements for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens may be considered for this summer’s football World Cup – despite both countries being set for EU entry next year.
European justice commissioner Franco Frattini is considering whether to urge a reintroduction of visas between June and July.
Fears that the football tournament may be a bonanza for gangsters that smuggle women prostitutes from eastern Europe are to prompt a borders crackdown.
Frattini believes that visa restrictions and increased border vigilance may be one option to tackle a “horrendous crime”.
“Let’s not shy away from exploring every possible measure,” his spokesman said on Thursday.
“The temporary reintroduction of visas could be considered if it is proportionate to the problem.”
The European commission is preparing proposals ahead of an April 27 meeting of justice ministers and a visa crackdown may be one measure tabled.
“It is one element he put forward for consideration, it may well not be realistic for a very short list of countries,” said the spokesman.
Romania and Bulgaria are on a Europol prostitution blacklist of six countries on EU borders along with Moldava, Ukraine, Russia and Albania.
All countries, except for Bulgaria and Romania, are on the EU visa blacklist requiring applications to enter the EU.
The six countries were identified in 2005 by the EU’s police intelligence body as the “main source countries of victims who are trafficked to the EU for sexual exploitation”.
Germany tops the Europol list of destination countries and demand for prostitutes is set to soar as up to a million football fans converge on the country in June.
Speaking on Wednesday, Frattini hinted broadly at intentions to impose visa requirements.
"We need to introduce and re-introduce temporary visas for all third countries - even those not requiring visas so far - but which are possible origin countries for trafficked women and children,” he said.
“I cannot give you a list because I don't like to blame or shame states as origin countries. But you know very well, in the eastern dimension of Europe, there is an origin region for prostitution.”
But diplomats have played down the possibility of reintroducing visas for Bulgaria and Romania – countries that have ratified membership treaties with the EU.
A temporary reintroduction of checks would require a vote by justice ministers and such a development would be highly sensitive as Sofia and Bucharest countdown to EU entry on January 1 2007.
And, officials suggest that any such decision by Europe’s justice ministers next month is “unlikely”.
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