WASHINGTON D.C./VILNIUS - European Union Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Antonio Vitorino, who is currently in the United States, has urged Washington to accelerate the inclusion of the 10 new member states into the visa waiver program, commissioner spokesman Pietro Petrucci reported on May 13.
In his words, these states' accession to the Schengen Treaty, which establishes free travel in Europe, will serve as a guarantee of certain standards and border controls.
"Nevertheless, the inclusion of a country in the VWP is a bilateral process, and the commission can only support this process," Petrucci added.
The Baltic states and some other EU newcomers hope to join the Schengen Treaty in 2007-2008.
Lithuanian Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Darius Jurgelevicius has stated that Lithuania already meets the criteria that would allow its citizens to travel to the United States without visas.
"We think we meet all the criteria that would allow our citizens to go to the U.S., Canada and other states without visas. Considering our Euro-Atlantic partnership with the U.S., the visa free regime that we have been applying to U.S. citizens since 1994, cancellation of the visa regime would be a proof that we are partners in deed, not just in name," Jurgelevicius, the Foreign Ministry official in charge of consular activities, said.
Upon Lithuania's official accession to the EU on May 1, Vilnius shortly proposed Washington to start talks on visa-free regime to Lithuanian citizens.
Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States Vygaudas Usackas has handed a note to the U.S. Department of State proposing bilateral consultations on visa-free regime for tourist and business trips of citizens of both countries for up to 90 days a year.
"Before the European Union expansion on May 1, 14 out of the union's 15 members had visa-free regime with the United States. Currently, all 25 members of the EU apply visa-free regime for U.S. citizens, so it would be logical and convenient for the U.S. to apply a visa-free regime to Lithuania as a member of the EU," reads the document.
It also stresses that the visa-free regime with the United States would serve well in the expansion of political, business and cultural relations between the government, regions and citizens, as well as facilitate contacts of the large Lithuanian community in the United States with their home country.
Furthermore, after Lithuania joined the EU, an abolishment of visa requirements would strengthen the trans-Atlantic link between Europe and America.
Commenting on Lithuania's initiative, the U.S. Embassy has informed that, under the current U.S. migration laws, Lithuanian citizens, unfortunately, cannot use the visa-free regime privileges despite the fact that Lithuania has already entered the EU.
The U.S. visa waiver program gives possibilities for other states' citizens to go on business or pleasure trips to the United States for a period shorter than 90 days without visas.
U.S. laws stipulate certain requirements for a country willing to be included in the program, among them a level of non-issuance of non-immigration visas to citizens of that country no higher than 3 percent (refusal rate). The rate has been as high as 30 percent in Lithuania.
U.S. officials maintain that they want Baltic citizens to travel to America on holidays and business, but that they don't want them stay behind and take up jobs.
