EU must be united in US visa negotiations

11.51.34am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 22nd Apr 2008

Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP has called on EU member states to stand united in negotiations with the US government over visa waiver for all EU citizens.

Currently the nationals of fifteen countries (the 'old' 15 minus Greece but plus Slovenia) have visa-free entry to the US whereas the citizens of the 12 new eastern European member states plus Greece have to apply for visas on the grounds that the visa overstay rate is too high. US citizens in contrast have visa free travel to the whole EU.

Speaking from Strasbourg where the issue will be debated tomorrow (Wed) in the European Parliament, Sarah Ludford said:

"The US government has already had considerable success in its 'divide and rule' strategy and extracted promises from some EU countries of air marshals on flights and access to national databases containing personal data, as the price of visa waiver."

"This consequence of EU disunity is reminiscent of the situation with Russian bullying over gas supplies. When will European governments learn that the only way the EU can be effective internationally is through a disciplined common agenda?"

"Instead of running in all directions like headless chickens, EU leaders must stick together and play hardball. The ultimate weapon the EU has is to impose reciprocal visa requirements on US citizens. It must not cave into pressure to give access to EU border or biometric databases."

"I am already promoting a petition to urge the EU to use these negotiations as an opportunity to end the current US discrimination against people with HIV. It is outdated prejudice to refuse them visa waiver and in practice refuse visas. I will continue to press EU negotiators to include this equality objective in the discussions."

Details of Sarah Ludford's petition to get an end HIV discrimination through these negotiations is at:

http://www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk/news/001014/libdem_euromp_launches_campaign_to_end_hiv_discrimination.html