Delegations Will Find Attached the Annual Reports Drawn up in the Local Schengen Cooperation, As Transmitted by the Services of the Commission
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Council of the European Union Brussels, 10 September 2014 (OR. en) 12893/14 VISA 220 COMIX 431 NOTE From: General Secretariat of the Council To: Delegations Subject: Local Schengen cooperation between Member States' consulates (Article 48(5), first subparagraph, of the Visa Code) - Compilation of summary reports covering the period 2013-2014 Delegations will find attached the annual reports drawn up in the local Schengen cooperation, as transmitted by the services of the Commission. Encl.: 12893/14 PR/lm DG D 1 A EN ANNEX LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERATION ANNUAL REPORTS - 2013-2014 AFGHANISTAN* ALBANIA ALGERIA* ARGENTINA ARMENIA* AUSTRALIA AZERBAIJAN* BELARUS* BENIN* BOLIVIA* BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA BRAZIL CAMBODIA* CAMEROON* CANADA CAPE VERDE* CHILE CHINA* CONGO – BRAZZAVILLE* COSTA RICA CÔTE D'IVOIRE* EGYPT* ERITREA* FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA GABON* GEORGIA* GHANA* GUINEA CONAKRY* INDIA* INDONESIA* JORDAN* KAZAKHSTAN* KENYA* KOSOVO1* MADAGASCAR* MAURITANIA* MONTENEGRO MOZAMBIQUE* NEPAL* NIGERIA* PARAGUAY PHILIPPINES* RUSSIAN FEDERATION* (2 LSC reports: Moscow and St. Petersburg) SAUDI ARABIA* 1 This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. 12893/14 PR/lm 1 DG D 1 A EN SENEGAL* SERBIA SOUTH KOREA SRI LANKA* SUDAN* TAIWAN TAJIKISTAN* TANZANIA* THAILAND* TURKEY* UKRAINE* UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UZBEKISTAN* VENEZUELA WEST BANK AND GAZA STRIP* YEMEN* ZAMBIA* *= third state whose nationals are subject to the visa requirement. 12893/14 PR/lm 2 DG D 1 A EN EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO AFGHANISTAN and OFFICE OF THE EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE Local Schengen Coordination Kabul / Thu 10 April 2014 LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERATION (LSC) in AFGHANISTAN 2 2013-2014 REPORT 1. Introduction The number of MS present is 16 (sixteen) of which 5 (five) are issuing visas in Kabul. The other consular services have neighbouring capitals in charge, mainly their embassies in Islamabad or New-Delhi. There are 2 (two) non-EU MS. 3 (three) EU MS assist as observers. No new representation arrangement has been finalised. The use of external service providers for the collection of applications has been discussed at length and negotiation with the only local service provider has been suspended sine die. The chronically serious concern due to the local circumstances is the security of the consular services as all have to take the strictest measures to protect their staff, customers and premises against any insurgent attacks. 2. LSC meetings held in 2013-2014 Meetings are held on a very regular basis (every two months). They are well attended. They are chaired by the EUD / EC local Schengen coordinator. Non-Schengen Member States are always invited for the first part of the meeting treating on general visas issues of interest for all the western consular services. Those observers do not stay during the second part when the Schengen harmonisation is dealt with. Each participant is responsible of its own report requirements. There is no need for coordination with the LSC in locations outside the capital because there is no one. 3. State of play 3.1 Application of the Visa Code MS and EUD are well prepared to ensure the tasks to be carried out in LSC under the Visa Code. The main specific problem relating to the implementation of the Visa Code that had to be discussed in the LSC meetings various times was the new compulsory finger print system that some authorities want to be exempted of. 2 April 2013 – March 2014 12893/14 PR/lm 3 DG D 1 A EN 3.2 Assessment of the need to harmonise the lists of supporting documents MS present are working on the list and draft should be forwarded to the Visa Committee in a reasonable delay. 3.3 Exchange of information The following information is regularly exchanged within the LSC: - statistics; - cases of fraud; - translation and certification of local supporting documents; - visa shopping. 3.4 Any other initiative taken in LSC Third parties have been invited on two occasions: 1 IOM to share views on the needs to support return of refugees from Europe; 2 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Visa to share views on reliability of different official documents. 4. Challenges The implementation of an harmonised list of supporting documents will be a clear step forward in a better visibility of Europe among the Afghan businessmen, tourists or students. 5. Other issues No other issue to report. 12893/14 PR/lm 4 DG D 1 A EN EUROPEAN UNION – BASHKIMI EVROPIAN DELEGATION TO ALBANIA DELEGACIONI NE SHQIPERI Political, Economic and Information Section 27/05/2014 LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERATION (LSC) in Tirana 2013-2014 REPORT3 1. Introduction In addition to the EU Delegation to the Republic of Albania, there are 18 Member States with diplomatic representation to Tirana. Moreover, Italy has two General Consulates in Vlora and Shkodra and one honorary Consulate in Gjrokastra while Greece has two General Consulates in Gjirokastra and Korca. Austria has one Honorary Consulate in Shkodra. In December 2013 Romania opened a Honorary Consulate in Korce. Since the entry into force of the Visa Code in April 2011, the EUD is in charge of the coordination of meetings of the Local Schengen Cooperation which usually take place every six months. Visa Liberalisation is in force since December 2010. The consular service at the Dutch Embassy was closed in June 2013. Since then consular services are covered by the Dutch Embassy in Skopje. Switzerland has closed the consular section of its Embassy since 2011. Consular services are delivered from the Swiss regional consular centre in Pristina. Switzerland is represented by the Austrian Embassy for Schengen C type visas. Austria is also representing Malta for Schengen C type visas. Hungary represents Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia in C type visas. Denmark is representing Island, Norway and Sweden for Schengen C type visas and France is representing Portugal for Schengen C type visas. 2. LSC meetings held in 2013-2014 During the reporting period one LSC meeting took place. It was well attended by EU MS and chaired by the EU Delegation. In addition a meeting in the framework of the post visa liberalisation mission was held in January 2014 which was also attended by EU police liaison officers. 3. State of play 3.1 Application of the Visa Code EU MS did not report any particular issue/problem related to the application of the Visa Code. 3.2 Assessment of the need to harmonise the lists of supporting documents 3 April 2013 – March 2014 12893/14 PR/lm 5 DG D 1 A EN The harmonisation of the list of supporting documents was completed before the Visa Liberalisation entered into force. 3.3 Exchange of information The level of exchange of information within the LSC was good. Overall, MS shared information on problems related to the rise of asylum seekers to some EU Members States. Bilateral exchange of information also took place. Information on fraud and suspect travel documents was shared. 3.4 Any other initiative taken in LSC Nothing to report 4. Challenges Nothing to report for the period 2012-2013. Regarding the period 2014-2015 the increase of asylum applications and the Albanian counter measures will have to be closely followed. 5. Other issues Nothing to report 12893/14 PR/lm 6 DG D 1 A EN UNION EUROPEENNE DELEGATION EN ALGERIE 20.05.2014 COOPERATION LOCALE AU TITRE DE SCHENGEN ENTRE LES CONSULATS ET LES ETATS-MEMBRES (LSC) EN ALGERIE RAPPORT4 2013-2014 1. Introduction Etats membres de l'espace Schengen qui ont une présence diplomatique/ consulaire en Algérie: AT, BE, CH, CZ, DE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HU, IT, NL, NO, PL, PT, SE. Accords de représentation pour les questions de visa: AT, BE, CZ, DE, FR, HU, PL représentent respectivement SI, LU, SK, LT, MT, LV, SE. En cas d’urgence et sur la base d'une demande expresse BE peut également délivrer des visas pour NL. Recours aux prestataires de service extérieurs pour la réception des demandes de visa: EL, ES (le prestataire VFS Global); FR, IT (le prestataire TLS Contact). Spécificités locales relatives à la délivrance des visas: - un nombre important des demandeurs de visa qui déposent leurs demandes auprès des consulats/ ambassades des Etats membres ont en réalité pour but final le voyage ou l'émigration notamment en FR ou en ES. - certains Etats membres ont signalé une problématique spécifique liée aux "mariages blancs" avec des ressortissants UE; - des nombreuses tentatives de fraude (notamment la falsification des justificatifs relatifs à la situation socio-professionnelle des demandeurs de visa). - dans le cas des certains Etats membres, les délais pour obtenir un rendez-vous sont généralement longs en raison du grand nombre de demandes, notamment pendant la haute saison (juin à octobre). - dans le cadre d’une convention entre le Ministère de la Défense de l'Algérie et des hôpitaux belges, BE délivre environ 600 visas médicaux par an. - NL offre un programme appelé Programme Tapis Orange (Programme VIP) qui vise à faciliter le traitement des sociétés membres. - Une procédure spécifique, instaurée en 2011 pour les demandes de visa déposées en vue de soin médicaux dans un établissement hospitalier français avec une prise en charge par les organismes sociaux algériens, notamment la CNAS (Caisse Nationale des Assurances Sociales des Travailleurs Salariés), a été renforcée. Pour mieux lutter contre les détournements de l’objet du visa de tourisme à des fins médicales, qui, lorsque les soins ne sont pas pris en charge par les autorités algériennes ou par le patient lui-même, aboutissent à des contentieux financiers importants, un véritable partenariat a été mis en place avec la CNAS. 2. Réunions LSC organisées en 2013-2014 La Délégation de l'UE en Algérie est responsable de la coordination des réunions LSC.