Israeli travelers may be among the first to be affected by new EU visa rules which allow the suspension of visa-free travel in cases of “severe international human rights or humanitarian law” violations.
Approved on Tuesday by both the European Parliament and Council, the updated policy grants the EU authority to revoke visa-free entry for citizens of countries that breach the United Nations Charter or fail to comply with rulings from international courts.
As the war between Israel and Iran escalates and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies, Israeli citizens are expected to be the first affected.
This would mean that travelers from Israel wishing to enter the EU and Schengen countries could be required to obtain visas for short-term stays.
Currently, citizens of 61 countries, including Israel, the UK, Japan, Australia, and Brazil, have visa-free access to the EU and Schengen Area for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. However, the revised rule allows the Commission to suspend this privilege for one year, with possible extensions requiring further approval.
The policy also empowers EU institutions to single out government officials who bear responsibility for rights violations, potentially suspending their visa exemptions separately.
So far, the only country affected by this rule has been Vanuatu, due to its controversial “golden passport” scheme for wealthy foreign nationals, which included Russian citizens.
“Visa policy can contribute to upholding EU values by ensuring that there are consequences when a foreign government breaches human rights and international law,” said Matjaž Nemec, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the issue. “In such cases, government representatives and diplomats should have their visa-free access revoked — this agreement makes that more likely.”
Before coming into effect, the reform must still be formally adopted by both the European Parliament and the Council.
