Moldova - EU Visa Liberalisation Process

Visa liberalisation : background  Further advancing on the way of reforming in cooperation with the EU and in accordance with European standards the justice and home affairs area – a priority reform sector for the Government  2007 – Moldova unilaterally abolished the visa regime for EU citizens  Since January 2008, Moldova has been implementing visa facilitation and readmission agreements with the EU.  The EU Common Visa Application Centre in Chisinau - a pilot project of the EU launched for the first time in Moldova  Moldova is a pilot country having a Mobility Partnership with the EU. Moldova has approximately 60 joint projects with 15 EU member states in the field.  Moldova has been first country in the region to issue biometric passports since 2008 in full compliance with ICAO standards. Starting 1 January 2011 the country issues only biometric passports.  EUBAM

Visa Liberalisation: process  Pre-emptive implementation strategy.  21 December EU Council Conclusions on Moldova from, containing express provisions for visa liberalisation  1-2 March 2010 – EU Exploratory Mission  15 June The EU-Moldova Visa dialogue was launched  September EU expert on-site evaluation missions  October 2010 – EU Gap Analysis Report  25 October Conclusions on the Republic of Moldova of the Foreign Affairs Council Meeting allowing further taking stock of the operational phase of the Dialogue.  24 January detailed Plan of Actions for the visa free travel regime was presented by Commissioner Malmstrom in Chisinau  4 March 2011 – National Annotated Agenda for the implementation of the Visa Action Plan was aproved.  1 March 2011 – public hearings in the Parliament on visa liberalisation  23 May 2011 – First Progress Report on the implementation of the National Annotated Agenda of the EU – Republic of Moldova Action Plan on visa liberalization

Visa Liberalisation Action Plan 4 Thematic Blocks:  Document security  Irregular migration, including readmission  Public order and security  External relations and fundamental rights 2 Phases: 1st phase (legislative and policy framework): 2nd phase (benchmarks for effective implementation): Impact Assesment Study of possible migratory and security impacts of future visa liberalization for Moldovan citizens traveling to EU

National Institutional Coordination Visa Liberalisation Task Force. Inter-ministerial group, coordinating the visa liberalisation actions. Chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs. Main Tasks:  Planning and coordination of actions related to visa liberalisation Action Plan implementation, reporting and monitoring of multi-stakeholder activities  Reporting to the Governmental Commission for European Integration, chaired by the Prime Minister  Make recommendations to the Commission to improve the AP implementation process

Document Security  Biometric Passports – introduced since Only biometric passports are issued since Phasing out of old passports – until  Ethical Code on anti-corruption adopted, training programmes were drafted and are planned to be launched in September  Prompt and systematic reporting to Interpol/LASP data base on lost and stolen passports – close to finalisation.  Regular exchange of passport specimens and cooperation on document security with the EU – implemented.

Irregular Migration Integrated Border Management actions  IBM infrastructure – interconnection network of all Border Crossing Points – 30 mil EUR, to be finalised in  Nearly all Border Crossing Points have access to Interpol database.  Strategy for Integrated Border Management and Action Plan for its implementation – adopted by the Govermnent.  Continued effective implementation of the EU-Republic of Moldova readmission agreement and measures for the reintegration of Moldovan citizens  Border Guard Service – to be included as autonomous institution into the Ministry of Interior.  Transnistria: EUBAM – since To be extended for another 2-4 years. EU Mobility Partnership since 2008 – pilot instrument to manage migration flows. Helped implement some of the reforms before the visa dialogue started.

Public Order and Security  Strategy for Combatting Organized Crime – to be developed.  Trafficking in Human Beings  Combating money laundering and financing terrorism  International cooperation and exchange of information (Eurojust, Europol, bilateral cooperation). Implementation of relevant UN and Council of Europe Conventions, as well as GRECO recommendations in the above mentioned areas  Centre for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption, Ministry of Interior – institutional reform.  Protection of Personal Data: Law on data protection approved by the Government, pending the adoption by the Parliament in July.

External Relations and Fundamental Rights  Anti-discrimination law drafted and pending approval after additional amendments  In 2010, Moldova-EU Human Rights Dialogue. National Human Rights Action Plan adopted and started implementation  Implementation of legislation and policies on anti-discrimination, implementation of relevant UN and Council of Europe instruments  Substantial amount of work started and completed in

Important legislative and policy framework adopted  National Strategy on Integrated Border Management of the State Border for years 2011 – 2013 and its Action Plan  The National Human Rights Action Plan  National Anti-corruption Strategy  Ammendments to the Law regarding prevention and fighting money laundering and financing of terrorism aimed at adjusting the legal framework to the international standards  The draft Law on the personal data protection (in a new version)  Additional Protocols for Readmission Agreement have been signed with Austria, Estonia, Hungary, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.

Legal Framework – further action needed  Draft the law on integration of foreigners.  Further improve and implement the monitoring mechanism of the National Reference System (NRS) for protection and assistance of victims and potential victims of human trafficking.  Review of the national legislation on interception of telephone calls.  Draft the National Strategy for preventing and fighting organized crime.  Draft the Action Plan for preventing and fighting organized crime.  Substantially improve the existent legal framework on traffic of human beings.  Harmonization of the existing regulatory framework to the new provisions of the Law and Strategy for preventing and fighting organized crime.  Ensuring an effective mechanism to prevent trafficking and to establish an active dialogue with civil society.  Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention (Lanzarote Convention) regarding the child protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, signed on 25 October  Efficient implementation of the Law on fighting the domestic violence.

Institutional Reform Based on the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan implementation progress report submitted by the Government, further priorities for institutional reform are: Integrated Border Management Fight Against Corruption Combating and prevention of trafficking in human beings Fighting organised crime, money laundering and terrorism Personal data protection Strengthening the cooperation with EUROPOL and EUROJUST. Main stakeholders/targets for institutional reform:  Ministry of Internal Affairs  Border Guard Service  Centre for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption

Priority Actions as per the National Annotated Action Plan  Capacity building – anticorruption, criminal investigation, migration management, human rights, non-discrimination.  Strengthen the capacities of the law enforcement bodies in order to implement the methods and techniques of pro-active investigation of the cases of traffic of human beings  Implementation of new methods and technologies in combatting illicit migration.  Implement the best practices for the enhancement of the personnel professionalism of the Border Guard Service.  Efficient implementation of methodologies of inland detection of illegal migrants.