91998E2637

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2637/98

by Otto von Habsburg (PPE) , Hiltrud Breyer (V) , Charles Goerens (ELDR) , Klaus-Heiner Lehne (PPE) , Claudia Roth (V) , Wilmya Zimmermann (PSE) and Karl Habsburg-Lothringen (PPE) to the Commission

(1 September 1998)

Subject: Visa requirement for Bulgaria and Romania

1. How, in the Commission's opinion, can the strategy for bringing Bulgaria and Romania closer to the European Union be reconciled with the visa requirement for their nationals?

2. Is the Commission aware of the sometimes unreasonable conditions under which visas are issued to Bulgarian and Romanian nationals for entry into a Member State of the EU? Does the Commission intend to ease the requirements and conditions for the issue of such visas and to abolish them in the foreseeable future?

3. Does the Commission regard the proportion of Roma people in the two countries as an obstacle to the removal of the latter from the common list compiled pursuant to Article 100c of the Treaty establishing the European Community? If so, why?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(10 November 1998)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible.