A new EU strategy for suspending schengen visas: greater speed and control

The European Union has decided to significantly strengthen its Schengen visa suspension mechanism by introducing a series of reforms aimed at making its response to risks related to security, irregular migration, and respect for fundamental rights more timely and effective.

A more responsive and flexible system

The new rules, approved by the European Parliament, grant the Commission the ability to temporarily or permanently suspend the Schengen visa-exemption regime for short stays for citizens of third countries that pose a concrete threat to the security of the European Union. Among the factors considered are the increase in crimes committed by visa-exempt citizens, the rise in overstaying, and low recognition rates for asylum applications.

New assessment criteria

The reform package also introduces additional grounds that may trigger suspension, such as so-called “hybrid threats” — for example, the instrumental use of migration flows — and citizenship-by-investment schemes, known as golden passports. Non-compliance with the common EU visa policy, violations of human rights or international law, and, in specific cases, targeted measures against government officials deemed responsible for such practices are also taken into account.

Clearer thresholds for activation

To make the process more transparent, quantitative thresholds have been defined to help quickly identify at-risk situations: a 30% increase in overstaying cases or serious crimes, and an asylum-application rejection rate of 20%, constitute sufficient conditions to initiate the suspension procedure.

Next steps

The amendments must now be formally approved by the EU Council. Once the text is published in the Official Journal of the European Union, the new mechanism will enter into force twenty days later, marking another step toward a more rigorous and coordinated management of international mobility within the European area.

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The content of this article is intended to provide general information on the topic. For doubts or specific cases, it is advisable to seek specialized legal advice tailored to your particular situation.