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The Visa Facilitation Agreement continues to have positive consequences. Preliminary data for visa issuance to the Schengen area show that over one million visas were issued in 2010.

This figure includes both Schengen and national visa. More than one third of the visa were issued free of charge. A significant number of Schengen member states provide now the possibility to apply for visa in regional centres and thus facilitate the travel arrangements for business and citizens alike. Only about 3 percent of visa applicants were unsuccessful. The EU is aware that such issues are closely observed and felt by UA citizens.

The following trends could be observed:

– the number of long-term visas as well as the number of visas issued free of charge increased;

– based on the EU Visa code, EU MS continue to streamline and improve general conditions for visa applicants.

The EU Visa Code came into force on 5 April 2010. It increases transparency, enhances legal security and ensures equal treatment of applicants. In parallel, it harmonises rules and practices for the Schengen States that apply the common visa policy. In particular, the Visa Code ensures improved provision of information, requests to state the motivation of refusal, allows to lodge a complaint, and provides the possibility to appeal.

The Action Plan for the Visa Free Regime was adopted at the 14th EU-Ukraine summit. It sets out all technical conditions to be met by Ukraine in order to progress towards the establishment of a visa free regime as a long term perspective for short stay travel for Ukrainian citizens. Its implementation will be systematically monitored by both sides.