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Balkans: avramopoulos,cooperation on migration and terrorism

Commissioner, EU committed to foster visa-free travel regime

27 October, 17:50
(ANSA) - BRUXELLES - "The EU and the Western Balkans are important partners" to face "the same challenges" related to "migration and border management, smuggling, firearms trafficking, as well as terrorism and radicalisation", EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said at the EU-Western Balkan JHA ministerial Forum Press Conference.

"The implementation of re-admission agreements between the Western Balkan countries and the EU is an important tool to reduce irregular migration", stressed Avramopoulos. "We are cooperating on several levels", but "more needs to done on sharing intelligence, strengthening and enforcing the law", EU Commissioner explained.

The European Union has recently started negotiations with Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to launch joint operations under the European Border and Coast Guard's new mandate. Similar negotiations will be soon launched also with Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Avramopoulos confirmed.

Commissioner added that EU is committed to foster the visa-free travel regime with the six Western Balkan countries, while "limiting abuses": "we have every intention to preserve our proximity and partnership, and to facilitate mobility and people-to-people contact between the EU and the Western Balkans".

The purposed introduction of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) led to some "misunderstandings" but is "not a visa", Avramopoulos explained. It's "a simple and cheap security mechanism that applies to all countries whose citizens travel visa-free to the Schengen area", he stressed.

(ANSA).

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