The Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) has issued a call to the European Union (EU) for all Caribbean citizens to be exempted from visa requirements for short-term stays in most of the European countries.CARIFORUM and EU trade officials gathered at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown for a one-day meeting on Friday and the call for the remaining Caribbean countries to also benefit from the exemption was made by the meeting’s chair and Minister in Grenada, Oliver Joseph.The call comes weeks after five of this region’s territories – Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as Trinidad and Tobago – were recently granted the visa waiver.In his opening remarks at the Third Meeting of the Joint CARIFORUM-EU Council, the Minister of Economic Development, Planning,Wholesale Jerseys, Trade, Cooperatives and International Business of Grenada thanked the European Union for its recent inclusion of five CARIFORUM States in the Schengen visa waiver regime.He added “I take this opportunity to encourage consideration of the inclusion of the other CARIFORUM States in this waiver regime.”The agreement signed on May 28, last with the five states during the EU-African Caribbean and Pacific Ministerial Meeting allows their citizens to visit all EU Member States, except the United Kingdom and Ireland for up to 90 days within a six month period without requiring a visa.CARIFORUM Chair,Discount NFL Jerseys, Oliver JosephEU Trade Commissioner, Cecilia MalmströmThis is as long as the purpose of the visit is not to carry out a paid activity. Of note, Dominicans, Grenadians, St. Lucians and Vincentians already enjoy visa free travel to the UK and Ireland.Already, four other Caribbean Countries – The Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, along with St. Kitts and Nevis – were granted visa waiver status in 2009 by the EU.Exemption from visa requirements in Europe’s Schengen area is valid for 26 European countries. These are Austria, Belgium,Cheap NFL Jerseys, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,Cheap Jerseys, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,Cheap Jerseys, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,cheap jerseys from china, and Switzerland.For France and the Netherlands, however, the visa-free travel shall apply only to the European territory of these Member States.French and Netherland overseas territories like Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Marteen are exempted from the arrangement.The visa regime between the overseas territories, including those in the Caribbean, of these Member States and the countries granted visa waiver status remains subject to bilateral arrangements between the countries concerned or to national legislation.At the time, Joseph was addressing a gathering of trade officials from across the region as well as European Union Council Representative, and other members of the Diplomatic Corps. Joseph functioned in the capacity of CARIFORUM High Representative and Chair of the Third Meeting of the Joint CARIFORUM-EU Council.Also addressing the opening session, was EU Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmström, who acknowledged that many of the Ministers gathered were concerned about the relationship between visas issued by Member States and the EU’s commitments on the temporary movement of services providers.“We have now, I believe, made some progress, with more countries getting visa exemptions earlier this year. I am also committed to pushing our Member States to do more,” Malmström said.“My experience of these issues in my previous role as Commissioner for Home Affairs allows me to say that these are always very politically challenging issues. Though it also means I will do my best to make progress,” the EU Trade Commissioner assured.The signing of the visa waiver agreement removed the stress and hassle for certain Caribbean nationals of these countries in seeking to obtain a visa each time they have to travel to Europe.In some instances they have to leave their country to go to another to obtain the visa.The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the CARIFORUM States and the European Union and its Member States was signed on 15 October 2008.The Third Meeting of the Joint EU-CARIFORUM Council on Friday last,NFL Jerseys China, was conducted with the aim for the two regions to take stock of the first five years of the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and for the representatives to plan the next phase of cooperation.(Sunita Samaroo)
