EU’s visa guidelines may ease
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Daily News with wires
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 20, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Turkish citizens traveling on business might be able to enter some European Union countries without obtaining a visa as a result of a decision by the European Court of Justice, or ECJ, private news channel NTV reported yesterday.
Lorry driver Mehmet Soysal had filed a complaint with the court in 2007 asking for the visa requirement to be lifted.
The court’s decision does not apply to Turkish tourists travelling to Europe, and businesspeople will still need to get a visa for some European countries, including Latvia and Estonia.
The decision applies to 27 members of the European Court of Justice and experts consider it a binding order rather than an interpretation, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Although the parties have the right to object to the decision, experts on EU law believe they are unlikely to do so as the ruling is a clear one. The decision, however, should not be considered as opening the door for all Turkish citizens to enter EU countries without a visa.
In reaching its decision, the court interpreted Article 42 of the Additional Protocol signed between Turkey and the European Economic Community on Nov. 23, 1970, in Brussels. Explaining the reasoning for its decision, the court said that the aim of that agreement is "to promote the continuous and balanced strengthening of trade and economic relations between the Contracting Parties which includes, in relation to the workforce, the progressive securing of free movement for workers and the abolition of restrictions."
The court’s decision does not apply to Turkish tourists travelling to Europe, and businesspeople will still need to get a visa for some European countries, including Latvia and Estonia.
The decision applies to 27 members of the European Court of Justice and experts consider it a binding order rather than an interpretation, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Although the parties have the right to object to the decision, experts on EU law believe they are unlikely to do so as the ruling is a clear one. The decision, however, should not be considered as opening the door for all Turkish citizens to enter EU countries without a visa.
In reaching its decision, the court interpreted Article 42 of the Additional Protocol signed between Turkey and the European Economic Community on Nov. 23, 1970, in Brussels. Explaining the reasoning for its decision, the court said that the aim of that agreement is "to promote the continuous and balanced strengthening of trade and economic relations between the Contracting Parties which includes, in relation to the workforce, the progressive securing of free movement for workers and the abolition of restrictions."