The European Parliament and European Council have agreed on expanded criteria for suspending visa-free travel for short-term visits to the EU.
According to an official EU statement, the revised mechanism will allow the bloc to act more flexibly in response to violations of key principles by partner countries. Grounds for suspension now include:
- Violations of the UN Charter or international human rights/humanitarian law
- Non-compliance with international court decisions
- Hybrid threats such as state-sponsored migration manipulation
- Security risks tied to “golden passport” schemes
- Visa policy misalignment that facilitates illegal migration into the EU
Existing criteria, such as lack of cooperation on migrant readmission, will remain in effect.
