(ANSA) - BRUSSELS - The European Commission launched today the proposal for abolishing the need to get a visa for Ukrainian citizens wishing to travel to the EU. The proposal must now be examined and approved by the European council and parliament.

When these steps are completed, Ukrainian citizens holding new biometric passports will be able to enter the EU and move within the Schengen area for 90 days without a preliminary visa.

European commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, who has launched the proposal for abolishing visas after the positive assessment made by the Commission last December, has expressed his satisfaction with the fact that Kiev's government has managed to achieve all the goals needed to make this decision, in particular in terms of justice reform and respect for civil rights. (ANSA).