Azernews.Az

The European Commission on Monday proposed to open negotiations on agreements to facilitate the procedures for issuing short-stay visas as well as on the readmission of irregular migrants between the European Union and Azerbaijan, according to the Commission.

The list of suggested visa facilitations include the simplification of documents to be submitted in support of the visa application, the possibility of issuing multiple-entry visas with a long period of validity, the waiving or reducing of the handling fees for specific categories of travelers, set deadlines for processing visa applications, as well as a possible exemption from visas for diplomats.

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom said easier access to visas will "improve cooperation and exchanges between the EU and Azerbaijan".

"Visa facilitation and readmission agreements are very tangible results of the [EU’s] Eastern Partnership [program] and I know how much this means to the citizens of these countries," Malmstrom said.

Stefan Fule, Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy, said "the human dimension" of the Eastern Partnership is "one of its most important ones".

"Fostering mobility and people-to-people contacts through visa facilitation is fundamental in order to promote social and economic development and mutual understanding between the people. The proposals to open negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Azerbaijan are an important step in this direction."

The Commission proposes to combine the easing of visa requirements for travelers from Azerbaijan with agreed mechanisms for the readmission of irregular migrants. The negotiation of readmission agreements will provide for the speedy return of nationals staying without authorization on the territory of the EU or Azerbaijan.

The visa facilitation negotiations with Azerbaijan follow the political commitment taken at the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit in May 2009 regarding the improvement of people–to people contacts. This approach was reaffirmed more recently by the Eastern Partnership foreign ministers' conclusions in December 2010. Once negotiated, the agreements on visa facilitation and readmission can only enter into force simultaneously.