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| E.U. Delays Decision on Requiring Visas of Americans and Canadians | E.U. Delays Decision on Requiring Visas of Americans and Canadians |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BRUSSELS — European Union authorities on Tuesday discussed a provocative proposal to require that United States and Canadian citizens obtain visas to travel to Europe, but they delayed a decision on the matter until the summer. | BRUSSELS — European Union authorities on Tuesday discussed a provocative proposal to require that United States and Canadian citizens obtain visas to travel to Europe, but they delayed a decision on the matter until the summer. |
| In a measure of the delicate nature of the topic for trans-Atlantic relations, the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, set a July 12 deadline for the European Parliament and the bloc’s 28 member governments to offer advice on next steps. | |
| After that deadline, the commission could start the process of imposing visa requirements for Americans and Canadians. But even then, any change would not go into effect immediately, because a majority of governments, and the European Parliament, would have six months during which they could block the move. | After that deadline, the commission could start the process of imposing visa requirements for Americans and Canadians. But even then, any change would not go into effect immediately, because a majority of governments, and the European Parliament, would have six months during which they could block the move. |
| “E.U. citizens rightly expect to travel without a visa to any third country whose citizens can enter the Schengen area visa-free,” Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European commissioner for citizenship and migration, said after the commission met in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday. | “E.U. citizens rightly expect to travel without a visa to any third country whose citizens can enter the Schengen area visa-free,” Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European commissioner for citizenship and migration, said after the commission met in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday. |
| The commissioners “assessed the legal, political and economic consequences of a possible temporary suspension of the visa waiver” affecting American and Canadian citizens, said Mr. Avramopoulos, who called for “a balanced and fair outcome.” | The commissioners “assessed the legal, political and economic consequences of a possible temporary suspension of the visa waiver” affecting American and Canadian citizens, said Mr. Avramopoulos, who called for “a balanced and fair outcome.” |
| Americans and Canadians can generally travel to Europe for work or pleasure without a visa. But the European Union is insisting that the United States and Canada abide by agreed timetables for adding newer member states to their lists of visa-reciprocity countries. | Americans and Canadians can generally travel to Europe for work or pleasure without a visa. But the European Union is insisting that the United States and Canada abide by agreed timetables for adding newer member states to their lists of visa-reciprocity countries. |
| The United States requires visas for citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania, which are all members of the bloc. Canada requires visas for citizens of Bulgaria and Romania. (The tiny Southeast Asian nation of Brunei requires visas for citizens of Croatia, and it would also be affected by the proposal that European officials discussed on Tuesday.) | |
| A State Department spokesman, Mark C. Toner, said on Friday that the United States respected the principle of reciprocity, but that “we have always treated the Visa Waiver Program as on a case-by-case or individual bilateral relationship.” | A State Department spokesman, Mark C. Toner, said on Friday that the United States respected the principle of reciprocity, but that “we have always treated the Visa Waiver Program as on a case-by-case or individual bilateral relationship.” |
| “They haven’t met the legal requirements, and we’re working with them and with the E.U. on how they can take the steps that will help them meet those requirements,” he said. “These are requirements that are set by law.” |