# C_2005251EN.01000901.xml

| 11.10.2005 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 251/9 |
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11.10.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 251/9

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Notification by Greece concerning visa reciprocity (1)

1

(2005/C 251/13)

Sir,

Following the entry into force of Council Regulation (EC) No 851/2005, which amends Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 and establishes a reciprocity mechanism for cases where third countries unilaterally impose a visa requirement on Community citizens, and pursuant to Article 2 of that Regulation, we wish to inform the Council of the European Union of the continuing unfavourable and discriminatory treatment of Greek citizens by the following countries as regards visas:

| — | United States of America: unilaterally imposes a visa requirement on Greek citizens. |
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United States of America: unilaterally imposes a visa requirement on Greek citizens.

United States of America:

| — | Australia: requires all Community citizens (and consequently also Greek citizens), before their entry into the country, to hold an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) ‘quasi visa’, which is the equivalent of a visa. The introduction on 1 July 2005 of a new system for issuing entry visas valid for up to 12 months to Greek citizens on-line, via the Internet, as an alternative, does not fundamentally alter the issue of discriminatory treatment. |
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Australia: requires all Community citizens (and consequently also Greek citizens), before their entry into the country, to hold an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) ‘quasi visa’, which is the equivalent of a visa. The introduction on 1 July 2005 of a new system for issuing entry visas valid for up to 12 months to Greek citizens on-line, via the Internet, as an alternative, does not fundamentally alter the issue of discriminatory treatment.

Australia:

| — | Brunei: unilaterally imposes a visa requirement on Greek citizens, whereas citizens of the majority of the ‘old’ Member States are exempt from a visa requirement for a stay of between 14 and 90 days. |
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Brunei: unilaterally imposes a visa requirement on Greek citizens, whereas citizens of the majority of the ‘old’ Member States are exempt from a visa requirement for a stay of between 14 and 90 days.

Brunei:

| — | Malaysia: holders of Greek passports (like Portuguese citizens) are exempt from the visa requirement only in respect of stays of up to one month, whereas all other Community citizens are exempt for stays of three months. |
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Malaysia: holders of Greek passports (like Portuguese citizens) are exempt from the visa requirement only in respect of stays of up to one month, whereas all other Community citizens are exempt for stays of three months.

Malaysia:

A copy of this letter is being sent to the Director-General of the Justice and Home Affairs DG of the European Commission, Mr Jonathan Faull.

[Complimentary close]

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(1)  This notification is published in conformity with Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 851/2005 of 2 June 2005 (OJ L 141, 4.6.2005, p. 3) amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 (OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1).

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