EU mulls visas for U.S. visitors

The European Parliament is pushing for the end of visa-free travel for American visitors to European Union countries, the latest volley in a dispute over U.S. visa restrictions for five EU member nations.

According to Reuters, while the motion to impose visas for U.S. travellers by May will be under consideration by the European Commission, the EU executive branch is still seeking a diplomatic solution to the matter, citing a June 15 ministerial meeting between EU and U.S. officials.

The matter stems from a U.S. resolution which does not allow visa-free access to citizens of Poland, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus. Following a similar visa reciprocity dispute between the EU and Canada over Romania and Bulgaria, the Canadian government announced last October that it will lift visa restrictions for citizens of those two countries by Dec. 1, with partial easements for eligible travellers to be implemented on May 1.