- issuing of multiple entry visas

- optional visa fee waiver for holders of diplomatic and service passports

Background

The European Council and the Council have repeatedly highlighted the need to achieve real progress on return and readmission. They have called for consideration of the use of all necessary leverage, including visa policy.

In 2019, the EU updated the visa code and introduced a mechanism to use visa processing as leverage in cooperation with third countries on readmission. Under this mechanism, the Commission regularly assesses third countries’ cooperation on readmission. Where a country is not cooperating, the Commission proposes that the Council adopt an implementing decision applying specific restrictive visa measures.

The first Commission assessment under the new mechanism was adopted on 10 February 2021. On the basis of this assessment and further engagement with third countries, in July 2021 the Commission proposed to adopt temporary visa measures applying to The Gambia, Bangladesh and Iraq. The proposed measures for Bangladesh and Iraq are currently under discussion within the Council.

• Council implementing decision on the suspension of certain provisions of the visa code with respect to The Gambia