War in Ukraine: full suspension of the EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement

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On 9 September 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted Decision (EU) No 2022/1500 suspending the application of all provisions of the agreement between the European Union and the Russian Federation that facilitated the issuance of visas to the citizens of both territories (the “Visa Facilitation Agreement”).

On 9 September 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted Decision (EU) No 2022/1500 suspending the application of all provisions of the agreement_ between the European Union and the Russian Federation that facilitated the issuance of visas to the citizens of both territories (the “Visa Facilitation Agreement”). This suspension adds on to the series of restrictive measures previously adopted by the EU following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which we have discussed in previous newsflashes_.

The suspension is effective as of 12 September 2022 and repeals Council Decision (EU) 2022/333 of 25 February 2022, which had already partially suspended the Visa Facilitation Agreement.

As a result, Russian visa applicants will now fully be subject to Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (the “Visa Code”).

Following the Council’s decision, the European Commission issued guidelines_ to support Member States in handling short-stay visa applications lodged by Russian citizens.

The Commission notably encourages Member States, where necessary, to make full use of the 45-day extension period when deciding on a visa application. The guidelines also recommend requesting additional supporting documents or limiting the type of documents that are accepted. Finally, the Commission encourages Member States to consider issuing visas with shorter validity periods, or single-entry visas, due to the increased likelihood that Russian applicants may no longer fulfil entry conditions over time.

Our expertise

Contact our experts Philippe-Emmanuel Partsch_, Björn ten Seldam_ and Miriam Postiglione_ in the EU Financial & Competition Law_ practice for assistance understanding these measures and how they could potentially impact your activities.

This communication, which we believe may be of interest to our clients and friends of Arendt, is for general information only. It is not a full analysis of the matters presented and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

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Luxembourg Newsflash – War in Ukraine full suspension of the EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement

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