WRITTEN QUESTION E-3767/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 December 2002)

Subject: Financial barriers to visits by relatives and elderly tourists from Russia travelling via future EU territory to Kaliningrad

1. Can the Commission confirm that, on the basis of the November 2002 agreement between the EU and the Russian Federation, a transit visa for travelling within Russia, across EU territory, will cost EUR 16 for persons living in Kaliningrad, but EUR 35 for other Russians sums which, albeit affordable for EU citizens, are very large for Russians?

2. Does the difference in price referred to in question 1 stem from moves made by the EU or by Russia? Is the intention to make access from the Kaliningrad oblast to other parts of Russia easier than access from other parts of Russia to the Kaliningrad oblast? What interests does that serve?

3. Is the Commission aware that this arrangement will put up financial barriers for people on low incomes from other parts of the Russian Federation who wish to visit the Kaliningrad oblast, but not by sea or air (those connections costing more), and that this may become a problem for, in particular, relatives living elsewhere and older people who until now have spent their holidays on the Baltic coast in that region?

4. Why are persons from outside the EU being asked to pay for a travel document which, it is true, is important in terms of protecting the EU against an influx of criminals and profiteers, but is regarded by them as an impediment to their right, acquired no so long ago, to unrestricted internal travel? Is not the more obvious thing to do to have the cost of this arrangement borne in full by the EU?

5. At least in respect of relatives, pensioners and unemployed persons, does the Commission see scope for reducing the payment to the level applicable to people living in Kaliningrad, or lower, without running the risk that criminals and profiteers will have free access to EU territory?

Source: 4 December 2002 edition of the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 2003)

1. to 5. As confirmed by the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) on 22 October 2002 and the Brussels European Council on 24 October 2002, the Union will introduce the necessary legislation to establish by 1 July 2003 a Facilitated Transit Document (FTD) and Facilitated Rail Transit (FRTD) scheme to apply for the transit of all Russian citizens between Kaliningrad and other parts of Russia by land.

The FTD will be valid for direct transit by all means of transport by land from one third country to the same third country within a limited period of time. The FRTD will be valid for a single return journey by train.

In line with the Joint Statement adopted at the Union/Russia Summit on 11 November 2002, both the FTD and the FRTD will be issued free of charge or at a very low cost to all eligible Russian citizens.

The Joint Statement further noted that the Republic of Lithuania has agreed to accept Russian internal passports as a basis for issuing both types of FTD until 31 December 2004.

In addition, Lithuania and Russia signed on 30 December 2002 an intergovernmental agreement on mutual travel of citizens, which provides for the obligation to be in possession of a visa for entry, transit and stay in the other State. As regards the Kaliningrad Oblast and its residents, the visa regime will enter into force on 1 July 2003, and visas will be provided free of charge on a reciprocal basis. In particular, multiple one-year visas will be issued free of charge to Kaliningrad residents without the need for an invitation. As a general rule for all Russian and Lithuanian citizens, consular fees for issuing visas are not charged at all for several categories of travellers, including persons above the age of 60 years and children under the age of 16.