"The citizens of these two countries will soon be able to travel with a biometric passport without visa to the EU countries participating in the common visa policy and those associated to the Schengen area", Malmström added.

Visa free travel would facilitate people-to-people contacts, enhance business opportunities and give the possibility for the people of the region to get to know the EU better. However, the visa-free regime would also come with responsibilities for both the governments and the people of the countries benefiting from this freedom. It was therefror of the utmost importance that Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continued to intensify their information campaign with the aim to properly explain to their citizens the meaning of short-term visa-free travel and what it entails, in particular warning against misuse for purposes incompatible with visa-free travel.

Štefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement, commenting the decision said: “The visa-free regime is the best proof that reforms at home bring tangible benefits for citizens and progress in relations with the EU. We can build on this in order to further the reforms needed to bring the two countries closer to their European aspirations”.
 

Source: RAPID Press Release of November 8, 2010.