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European Commission denies preparing a full ban on Russian tourist visas

Source: TASS

The European Commission is not preparing a full ban on Schengen visas for Russian citizens, the Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing the Commission’s press service.

A Commission spokesperson told the agency that the Commission had repeatedly said that it was, for now, preparing targeted measures to adapt the visa regime to address the potential security threats posed by individuals who took part in the war against Ukraine. The spokesperson added that the measures had been proposed as part of the 21st sanctions package.

On June 30, the newspaper Izvestia reported, citing “a European source,” that the Commission was discussing a full ban on issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens.

In early June, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed adding to the 21st sanctions package a ban on entry to EU countries for all Russians who took part in the war or served in the military after February 24, 2022. She did not specify how these restrictions would work if approved.

According to Bloomberg, Italy and France have expressed reservations about the Commission’s proposal. The two countries do not oppose the idea of barring former Russian service members from the European Union, but they worry that the Commission’s proposal, in its current form, could lead to a “blanket ban” on entry for Russians. Italian and French officials said it would be “difficult” to determine who took part in the war against Ukraine and who did not.

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