REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Sixth bi-annual report on the functioning of the Schengen area 1 May - 31 October 2014
Date: 2014-11-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU visa policy, Schengen Information System, border control, external border of the EU, illegal migration, internal border of the EU, migratory movement, right of asylum













EUR-Lex - 52014DC0711 - EN











|



52014DC0711

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Sixth bi-annual report on the functioning of the Schengen area 1 May - 31 October 2014 /* COM/2014/0711 final */










1.                      
Introduction

As
announced by the Commission on 16 September 2011 in its Communication on
strengthening Schengen governance[1]
and supported by the Council on 8 March 2012, the Commission submits bi-annual
reports to the European Parliament and to the Council on the functioning of the
Schengen area. This sixth report covers the period 1 May - 31 October 2014. 

2.                      
Situational picture
2.1.                
Situation at the Schengen external borders

The reporting period has been
characterised by two main developments. Firstly, continuing migration across
the Mediterranean to Europe, which reached its peak during the summer months
and continued to claim lives. Secondly, by significant movement within the
Schengen area of persons arriving in Italy and seeking to go to other Member
States. 
The overall number of detections of
irregular border crossings has increased significantly over the reporting
period (May-October 2014). This increase can be attributed to an unprecedented
number of detections reported by Italy (nearly six times more detections by Italy in May-July 2014 compared to the same period the year before[2]). In total[3], there were 81 270 detections during
the first three months of the reporting period (May-July 2014, i.e. the months
for which the data were available at the time of writing). This is over 2.5
times more than during the same months in 2013, when this figure was 31 406 and
even higher than during the same period in 2011. 
Italy reported by far the highest number of
apprehensions in May-July 2014, followed by Greece. Main
nationalities of the persons detected during those three months were Syrians
and Eritreans. 
The Central Mediterranean was the main
route used during May-July 2014, recording nearly a five-fold increase (to over
48 000 detections) compared to the same period in 2013[4]. The Eastern Mediterranean route was the second most
frequently used
and the number of detections on this route has
more than doubled compared to the same period in 2013 due
to increase of detections at the Greek borders, while the number of detections at the Bulgarian borders
remained stable. The Apulia and Calabria route was the third
most frequently used route
with an almost
nine-fold increase[5] up to over 13 000 detections. Finally, flows at the Western Balkans route decreased almost three-fold to around 3 300 detections due to a
sharp drop of detections at the Hungarian borders. 
Ahead of the Justice and Home Affairs
Council (5 June 2014), the Commission published a Staff Working Document
“Implementation of the Communication on the Work of the Task Force
Mediterranean”[6] in which it presented an overview of
the concrete steps taken so far to address migratory and asylum flows and
prevent migrant deaths in the Mediterranean.
The Commission continued to monitor the
situation in Bulgaria and Italy with regard to the improvement of their
respective asylum systems and will also keep monitoring, in cooperation with
the concerned Member States, the possible need of using the early warning,
preparedness and crisis management mechanism on the basis of Article 33 of the
Dublin III Regulation[7]. In addition Greece is implementing the
National Action Plan for Asylum an Migration, which expires in December 2014[8]. It should be noted that these Member
States have made considerable efforts to stabilise and improve the situation,
but further progress is still needed.
Since the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine, there have not been significant changes in the number of detections of irregular
border crossings on this external land border, which remained low. Nevertheless,
the number of requests for asylum has been steadily increasing, and the number
of asylum requests from Ukrainian nationals in the EU Member States and
Schengen associated countries during May-July 2014 exceeded 2 500 (over twelve
times more then during the same period in 2013). A certain increase has also
been observed in the cases of irregular stays of Ukrainian citizens.
Despite relatively low influx of asylum seekers
and detections of irregular border crossings by Ukrainian nationals, Member States and the EU agencies are invited to pay adequate attention to the events and
notably their implications for the safety of the EU and the Schengen area. 
As
far as the foreign fighters returning from Syria to the EU are concerned, the
Commission recognizes that the phenomenon represents a challenge for the Member
States, particularly as regards their detection at the external borders. The
Commission is confident that the existing legal framework is well tailored to
respond to this threat, both as regards checks that are to be carried out on
persons and on travel documents, and should be fully exploited. The Commission
is hence working with Member States to develop a common approach on making the
best use of the possibilities under Union law.

2.2.                
Situation within the Schengen area

In
May-July 2014 the level of detections of irregular stay increased by 35%
compared to the same period of 2013 (up to 108 712 detections). Sweden, followed by Germany, France and Spain had the highest number of detections during this period.

As
mentioned in the fifth bi-annual report, this year Frontex Risk Analysis
Network started collecting data on the secondary movements. It should be noted
that a number of countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Portugal as well as non-Schengen Member State Ireland) have not yet submitted their data (situation as of October 2014). Moreover many Member
States sent incomplete data making it impossible to trace migration routes,
which is the essential aim of the exercise. It is of utmost importance that all
the Member States fully participate in this data collection, otherwise the
analysis can be only partial. 
Operation "Mos Maiorum", the
most recent information gathering exercise on migration flows within the
EU/Schengen area, was carried out from 13 to 26 October 2014. It was held in
the framework of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
(like seven earlier such operations under the recent Presidencies) and was aimed
at weakening the capacity of organised crime groups to facilitate irregular
migration to the EU and focussed on illegal border crossings. It collected
information regarding the main routes followed by irregular migrants and modus
operandi of criminal networks used for people smuggling into the EU as well as
on secondary movements. Results of the operation will be presented in the next
bi-annual report.

3.                      
Application of the Schengen acquis
3.1.                
Cases of temporarily reintroduced control at
internal borders

Article
23 of the Schengen Borders Code[9]
provides that, exceptionally, where there is a serious threat to public policy
or internal security, a Member State may reintroduce border control at its
internal borders for a duration that shall not exceed what is strictly
necessary to respond to the serious threat.. During the period 1 May -31 October
2014, there were three cases when Member States temporarily reintroduced
control at their internal borders: Belgium on 1-6 June (due to the G7
Summit), Norway on 24-31 July 2014 (due to a terrorist threat) and Estonia on 31 August – 3 September (due to the visit of the US President). At the time of writing,
only results of the temporary reintroduction in Norway are known: over 165 000
persons were checked, out of which 17 were refused entry, 5 persons arrested
and 12 persons applied for asylum. The assessment provided by Norwegian
authorities is that the action as necessary and proportional to the identified
threat and had an important preventive effect contributing to secure the
Norwegian society and interests. The results of these measures in the other two
countries, once available, will be summarised in the next bi-annual report. Member
States are reminded that, according to the Art. 29 of the Schengen Borders
Code, the report on the results of temporary reintroduction of border control
should outline, in particular, the initial assessment and the respect of the
criteria referred to in Articles 23a, 25 and 26a of the Code, the operation of
the checks, the practical cooperation with neighbouring Member States, the
resulting impact on the free movement of persons, the effectiveness of the
reintroduction of border control at internal borders, including an ex-post
assessment of the proportionality of the reintroduction of border control.
In
the meantime, the Dutch authorities published the report on the reintroduction
of border control at its internal borders on 14-28 March 2014 (in relation to
the Nuclear Security Summit in the Hague). Over 44 000 people have been checked,
188 persons were refused entry for various reasons, 115 persons were arrested
and 39 persons applied for asylum. According to the Dutch authorities, the
temporary reintroduction of internal border controls helped to provide the
internal security and had an important preventive effect during the Summit that passed without any significant incident.

3.2.                
Maintaining the absence of internal border
control

Two
areas of the Schengen acquis where violations are often alleged are (1) whether
the carrying out of police checks close to the internal border have an effect
equivalent to border checks (article 21(a) of the Schengen Borders Code) and
(2) the obligation to remove obstacles to fluid traffic flow, such as speed
limitations, at road crossing-points at internal borders (article 22 of the
Schengen Borders Code). In the period 1 May -31 October 2014, the Commission
continued its investigation into four cases on possible violations of provisions
on the abolition of internal border control, in particular the removal of
obstacles to fluid traffic flow (regarding Austria, Belgium, Italy and Slovenia).
One investigation (on Germany) was completed, and a letter of formal notice was
sent to Germany in October 2014 on alleged non-compliance of German Federal
Police Law with Art. 20 and 21(a) of the Schengen Borders Code. Finally, the Commission
closed an infringement procedure in relation to the Czech legislation that was
obliging carriers to carry out systematic checks on persons crossing the
internal borders[10]
as the Czech Republic modified its legislation to make it compatible with EU
law.

3.3.                
Development of European Border Surveillance
System (Eurosur)

In the course of the reporting period the necessary preparations
were carried out for extending the European Border Surveillance System from the initial 19 to all 30 Schengen
countries by 1 December 2014. During 2014, the National Coordination Centres of
the remaining 11 countries have been established and all Schengen countries
made progress in further developing their National Situational Pictures.
Frontex was scheduled to connect the remaining 11 centres to the Eurosur
communication network by the end of November 2014 and intensified its
cooperation with the European Maritime Safety Agency and the EU Satellite
Centre in providing services and information at the EU level, such as ship
reporting systems and satellite imagery. The Commission, Frontex and the Member States continued the preparations of a Handbook which contains technical and
operational guidelines for the implementation and management of Eurosur. This
Handbook will be adopted by the Commission in 2015.
During the reporting period, for the very first time the satellite
images obtained in the framework of Eurosur cooperation enabled to save the
lives of migrants. On 16-17 September, the satellite imagery obtained through
Eurosur framework with support of an FP7 project, enabled to locate and rescue
a migrant rubber boat in the Mediterranean with 38 people on board, including eight
women and three children that has spent three days in an open sea and was
drifting outside the area where search and rescue activity for the boat was
ongoing originally. 

3.4.                
Alleged violations of other parts of the
Schengen acquis

During
the reporting period, the Commission closed one investigation (with regard to a
Bulgarian BCP on the Greek-Bulgarian border that earlier was reported as
allegedly not complying with the necessary requirements under the Schengen
Borders Code) and requested information in a new case regarding Estonian land
borders (with regard to requirements imposed when crossing the border, in
relation to Articles 5 and 7 of the Schengen Borders Code). Furthermore, the
Commission continued its inquiry as regards Greece and Bulgaria on allegations of push-back practices at the external border and started an inquiry into
allegations of summary removals from Spain (Ceuta and Melilla).
With
regard to continuing complaints received about excessive waiting times caused
by checks by the Spanish authorities at the border with Gibraltar, following an
on-site visit, the Commission issued recommendations to both Spain and the United Kingdom to address the traffic situation at this border and the tobacco
smuggling (see the fifth bi-annual report for details). Both Spain and the United Kingdom informed the Commission about a number of measures that they introduced
or intend to introduce in response to these recommendations. To better
appreciate steps that have been taken by both authorities to implement the
recommendations, the Commission paid a second on-site visit. On 30 July 2014
additional recommendations were addressed to both countries to improve the
management of vehicle and passenger flows and to tackle tobacco smuggling more effectively.
The Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely and, in
particular, how both Member States implement the recommendations with a view to
improving the situation of EU citizens daily crossing this border.
Transposition
of the Return Directive (2008/115/EC) into national legislation
Since
the previous report, Iceland became the last Schengen country to notify full
transposition of the Directive into national law. The majority of the
identified transposition issues in Member States were settled by modification
of the relevant law provisions. The Commission continues to systematically
follow up on all shortcomings identified and launches investigation where
necessary. It particularly focuses on remaining shortcomings in several Member States, such as aspects of detention conditions and an absence of independent forced
return monitoring systems. In
this context, the Commission envisages to open infringement procedures against
some Member States in the coming months. In addition, there is a scope for
improvement in many Member States, with a more systematic use of alternatives
to detention and the promotion of voluntary departure. 
Implementation
of the Regulation on Local Border Traffic (EC No 1931/2006)
Since
the entry into force of the local border traffic regime in 2006, the Commission
has been monitoring its implementation. In relation to the bilateral agreements
that the Member States have concluded with their third country neighbours, the
Commission continued the investigation with regard to Slovenia as well as
opened a new investigation regarding Croatia and continued two infringement
cases, one regarding Latvia and another regarding Poland.

3.5.                
Weaknesses identified via the Schengen
evaluation mechanism

Under
the current Schengen evaluation mechanism[11],
Member States' application of the Schengen acquis is regularly evaluated by
experts from the Member States, the Council General Secretariat and the
Commission. 
In the period 1 May-31 October 2014, Schengen
evaluations were carried out in the field of air borders, visa, data protection
and SIS/Sirene in Switzerland. The reports are being finalised, and are likely
to include positive as well as negative comments and recommendations, including
on the acceleration of full implementation of the SIS II alert categories and
functionalities (since Switzerland envisages finalising the SIS II
implementation only in the second half of 2016, more than three years after its
entry into operation, in parallel with the upgrade of its national police
system).
Preparations are ongoing as regards the new Schengen
evaluation mechanism. In line with the Regulation 1053/2013 establishing an
evaluation and monitoring mechanism to verify the application of the Schengen
acquis[12],
the standard evaluation questionnaire was adopted in July 2014[13]. In
October, the annual evaluation programme for 2015 was approved on the basis of
the multi-annual evaluation programme 2014-2019[14],
taking into account the risk analysis provided by Frontex as well as
information made available by relevant EU agencies and bodies such as Europol
and Fundamental Rights Agency. The first evaluations under the new mechanism
(as concerns announced visits) will start in February 2015. In the meantime, a
particular focus has been put on further developing training for the evaluation
experts, including updating the existing training curricula by including aspects
that have not been covered previously such as return. 

3.6.                
Lifting of control at internal borders with Bulgaria and Romania

The
Council has not yet been able to decide on the lifting of control at the
internal borders to these countries. The Commission maintains its full support for
 Bulgaria's and Romania's accession to the Schengen area.

4.                      
Flanking measures
4.1.                
Use of the Schengen Information System (SIS)

The
Commission closely monitors the implementation of new alert categories and
functionalities of SIS in the Member States provided by the second generation
of that system which entered into operation on 9 April 2013. During the
reporting period there has been a significant increase in the use of new
categories of objects and functionalities since most of the Member States have
finalised the upgrade of their national police systems which now allow their
end-users to enter the new object categories into SIS II. This was especially
the case in Germany and in Greece. 
In
the second quarter of 2014, recommendations were issued in relation to the SIS
II security measures as a result of the end-to-end assessment of the efficiency
of national security measures carried out after the hacker attack against the
Danish N.SIS (the national data systems which communicate with Central SIS) that
affected the predecessor system SIS. They include the development of a fully
documented incident reporting process throughout the Schengen area and the
establishment of a network of security contact points in order to enhance
information exchange. This network was finally set up within the framework of
eu-LISA (European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT
systems in the area of freedom, security and justice). Furthermore, Member
States were strongly encouraged to conduct self-security audits on a regular
basis as well as not to outsource any tasks related to the operational
management of SIS II to external contractors.
The
Commission has opened an investigation in respect of Poland concerning the
uninterrupted operation of SIS II at the external borders and the physical
security of N.SIS.
In
order to ensure that Member States will delete obsolete alerts in SIS II[15], the
Commission has launched an initiative to lay down more detailed relevant legal
provisions in the SIRENE Manual[16].
SIS II continued to play an important tool for detecting the routes of
terrorists and travelling criminal gangs via a special alert category allowing
the discreet and specific check of individuals and certain types of objects,
including in case of the threat posed by the foreign fighters. The Commission
has initiated practical measures related to SIS II implementation in the Member
States in order to accelerate the information exchange on the basis of those
alerts while preserving the confidentiality of information.

4.2.                
Use of the Visa Information System (VIS)

The
VIS became operational on 15 May 2014 in the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth
and fifteenth regions (Central America, North America, Caribbean and
Australasia)[17]
and on 25 September 2014 in the sixteenth region (Western Balkans and Turkey)[18]. Given
the major impact of the visa issuing in Russia on the VIS, a major effort will
be needed to ensure its roll-out in this country scheduled to happen during the
next reporting period (1 November 2014-30 April 2015). A prerequisite to this
roll-out is the successful completion of the capacity extension of the
Biometrics Matching System supporting the fingerprint based operations such as
identification and authentication. During the next reporting period, the VIS is
also scheduled to start operations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The
 VIS is functioning well and by the end of July 2014 the system had processed
(since its entry into operation) almost 9 million Schengen visa applications, on
the basis of which 7.5 million visas have been issued. On 5 April 2014, its
capacity was extended to prepare for the upcoming growing activity in consular
posts and at the borders. Additional capacity extension steps are scheduled in
accordance with the time-table for VIS roll-out. Member States need to step up
their efforts to improve the quality of the data, both biometric and
alphanumeric, introduced by the consular authorities of Member States into the VIS as explained in the fifth bi-annual report. 
The
use of fingerprints to perform verifications of visa holders at the Schengen
border crossing points became mandatory on 11 October 2014 for the visa holders
whose data (including fingerprints, where applicable) are stored in the VIS. It is still too early to provide reliable conclusions on the implementation of this
new measure. It is expected that first conclusions should be available towards
the end of the next reporting period. At the current stage, it is important
that Member States adequately inform the travellers of this new requirement at
the border.

4.3.                
Visa policy and readmission agreements

Suspension
mechanism and revised reciprocity mechanism in Regulation 539/2001 
So
far, no Member State has requested to trigger the new suspension mechanism that
entered into force in January 2014[19].
In accordance with the provisions of the reciprocity mechanism, also in force
since January 2014, the notifications received from five Member States
(Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland, Romania) of visa non-reciprocity situations
with five third countries (Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Japan and the
US) were published in the Official Journal of the EU on 12 April 2014. When
considering the options available under the revised reciprocity mechanism, a
series of factors including the steps taken with the third countries have to be
taken into account.  The
Commission, in consultation with the above-mentioned Member States proposed to
establish regular tripartite meetings between the third country, the Member State(s) concerned and the Commission, with the objective to discuss the state of
play and define further steps, possibly accompanied by a timeline, which should
lead to achieving full visa reciprocity as soon as possible. The first such meetings
with Australia, Japan, the US and Canada were held from May until July 2014. On
10 October 2014, the Commission published a report assessing the situation[20].
Post-visa
liberalisation monitoring mechanism for Western Balkan countries
In May-July
2014 (months for which the data are available[21]), the number of asylum applications
lodged by
citizens of the five Western Balkan visa-free states[22] in the Schengen area and Schengen candidate countries increased by
40% compared to the same three months in 2013 (increase of 7% if compared to
February-April 2014). Germany remained by far the most-affected Member State, having handled over 11 000 out of nearly 15 000 applications submitted in the
above-mentioned period by citizens of these five countries. It was followed by Sweden, France (both with some 1 000 applications each) and Belgium (over 400 applications). Serbian
citizens remained the largest group of asylum applicants from the Western
Balkans (41%), followed by Albanian citizens (25%). The applicants from the five
Western Balkan countries constituted 10% of the total number of the applicants
for asylum in the Schengen area and Schengen candidate countries which is
comparable to the same period last year (around 9%). 
To ensure the
efficiency and fairness of asylum procedures, the asylum acquis
contains several discretionary provisions, which allow for procedural
facilitations in the handling of asylum applications which are not likely to be
well founded. Those provisions were reinforced and more clearly circumscribed
by the recast instruments which constitute the Common European Asylum System.
The assessment whether the conditions for applying those provisions are met
and, if so, the decision whether and how to use them, is to be taken by each Member State within the limits of the asylum acquis.
The Commission
is planning to publish the fifth report on the post-visa liberalisation
monitoring for the Western Balkan countries by the end of the 2014.
Readmission and visa facilitation
agreements and visa liberalisation
The
ratification process of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement was completed by
both sides and the Agreement entered into force on 1 October 2014. In the
context of the EU-Turkey visa liberalisation dialogue experts' visits to Turkey were carried out (March-June 2014) that allowed for collecting information on how Turkey fulfils the benchmarks of the "Roadmap towards the visa free regime". The
Commission reported on the findings on 20 October 2014[23].
As
a result of the Statement of the Heads of State or Government on Ukraine of 6 March 2014 following the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity
by the Russian Federation[24],
the visa liberalisation dialogue with Russia was suspended. 
Since
the entry into force on 28 April 2014 of a visa waiver for citizens of the Republic of   Moldova holding a biometric passport, no significant abuse of the visa-free
travel by Moldovan citizens has been recorded (data as of end of August 2014).
The
readmission and visa facilitation agreements with Azerbaijan entered into force
on 1 September 2014. With regard to negotiations on readmission and visa
facilitation with Belarus, the first round of technical negotiations took place
on 12-13 June 2014, with the second round expected to take place later in the year.
On 30th July, the Commission presented draft negotiating directives
for readmission and visa facilitation agreements with Tunisia to the Council for approval.
On
17 July 2014, the Commission submitted a recommendation to the Council
requesting the authorisation to open negotiations on short-stay visa waiver agreements
with 16 small Caribbean and Pacific island nations and United Arab Emirates. 
Joint
Visa and Readmission Committees with Georgia and Armenia met on 4 June and 10
September 2014 respectively, confirming that implementation of the EU Visa
Facilitation and Readmission Agreements with both countries is proceeding well.

5.                      
The way ahead: Issues for reflection

The
purpose of the bi-annual  reports is to provide the basis for a regular debate
in the European Parliament and in the Council and this way to contribute to the
strengthening of political guidance and cooperation in the Schengen area. As
pointed out in the first report, it is essential that the European institutions
maintain vigilance over the functioning of the Schengen area and are ready to
respond to any challenges it faces. To facilitate
the discussion, the Commission considers, at the time of publication of this
report, that the following issues drawn from this report would merit particular
discussion:
1.     
The level of preparedness among Member States
and the agencies for a scenario of a significant increase in irregular border
crossings at the Eastern land borders of the EU;
2.     
Further measures that could be considered in
order to strengthen the functioning of Schengen in the light of the situation
in the European neighbourhood today;
3.     
Member States’ experiences so far in using the VIS to identify undocumented migrants detected within the Schengen area, both for the
purpose of handling asylum applications and initiating return procedures.
[1]               COM (2011) 561 final
[2]               Note that the operation Mare Nostrum by the Italian
Navy started in October 2013.
[3]               Unless otherwise indicated, the data in Section 2 are
taken from Frontex Risk Analysis Network information exchange system, and
covers the Schengen area as well as Schengen candidate countries. The data
cover only the third country nationals detected at external borders (except
temporary external borders) when entering or attempting to enter illegally between
the border crossing points. Figures for Croatia are included from the day of
accession to the EU.
[4]              Note that although the figures for this
route generally exclude Apulia and Calabria, some
of the migrants detected by Mare Nostrum have been transferred (due to logistical problems in Sicily) to centres in Apulia
and Calabria and consequently have been included in the figures corresponding
to that region.
[5]               Note however that this
significant increase is mainly due to the transfer of migrants in June and July
2014 as explained in footnote 4.
[6]               SWD(2014) 173 final.
[7]         Regulation
(EU) No 604/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of
26 June 2013 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in
one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person. The
aim of the mechanism is to support Member States to cope with the situations of
particular pressure on or deficiencies in their respective asylum systems, to
show solidarity, and to help the situation of asylum seekers applying for
international protection in those Member States.
[8]               In October, the Commission adopted a Staff Working
Document assessing the state of  implementation of the Plan (SWD(2014) 316
final).
[9]               Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European
Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community Code on the rules
governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code), as
amended by Regulation (EU) No 610/2013
[10] See the fifth bi-annual report for details.
[11]             SCH/Com-ex (98) 26 def.
[12]             OJ L 295, 6.11.2013, p. 27.
[13]             Commission Implementing Decision C(2014) 4657 final of
11 July 2014 establishing a standard questionnaire in accordance with Article 9
of the Council Regulation (EU) No 1053/2013 of 7 October 2013 establishing an
evaluation and monitoring mechanism to verify the application of the Schengen
acquis.
[14]             Commission Implementing Decision C(2014) 3683 final of
18 June 2014 establishing the multiannual evaluation programme for 2014-2019 in
accordance with Article 5 of the Council Regulation (EU) No 1053/2013 of 7
October 2013 establishing an evaluation and monitoring mechanism to verify the
application of the Schengen acquis.
[15]             See the fifth bi-annual report for more details.
[16]             Commission Implementing Decision 2013/115/EU of 26
February 2013, OJ L 71, 14.3.2014.
[17]
            Commission Implementing Decision of 7 May 2014 determining the date
from which the Visa Information System (VIS) is to start operations in a
twelfth, a thirteenth, a fourteenth and a fifteenth region (2014/262/EU)
[18]             Commission Implementing Decision of 28 August 2014
determining the date from which the Visa Information System (VIS) is to start
operations in a 16th region (2014/540/EU)
[19]             The mechanism was introduced with the Regulation (EU)
No 1289/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council
Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be
in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose
nationals are exempt from that requirement, OJ L 347, 20.12.2013. See section
4.3 of the fifth biannual report for details, where the new suspension
mechanism as well as the revised reciprocity mechanisms are explained in
detail.
[20]             Report from the Commission assessing
the situation of non-reciprocity with certain third countries in the area of
visa policy, C(2014) 7218 final
of 10 October 2014.
[21]             Data from the Eurostat database as available on 21
October 2014 are used in this chapter (figures for July do not include Cyprus).
[22]             Since end of 2009, the citizens of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro and Serbia, holding a biometric passport,
have enjoyed visa-free travel to the EU Member States, in accordance with
Regulation 539/2001. Under the same conditions the citizens of Albania as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina have enjoyed visa-free travel to the EU Member States
since 15 December 2010.
[23]             COM(2014) 646 final.
[24]             https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/141372.pdf