Industry feedback on the revision of the visa suspension mechanism

4 September 2023: ERA, together with other leading worldwide industry associations, welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the initiative 'EU visa policy – revision of the visa suspension mechanism'. The attached document (available for members only) provides a united aviation industry position for this initiative.

In particular, the industry considers that the outcome of such revision should guarantee that:

• the suspension mechanism remains a mechanism of last resort without any automaticity;
• the travelling public and the industry are well in advance and clearly informed in case of visa suspension. This should avoid unnecessary pressure on air carriers and airports, leading to excessive waiting time at border control, jeopardising connectivity;
• the impacts of any visa suspension on other EU border management tools, such as EES and ETIAS, shall be duly addressed for co-ordinated functioning. This should prevent travelers from showing up at the external borders without the required visa, impacting the passenger experience, airlines’ liability and the border crossing points at airports;
• the revised suspension mechanism avoids unilateral, non-coordinated, knee-jerk national restrictive measures (as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic). A common and homogenous approach across Member States and the EU should be a must.

Furthermore, we applaud any EU effort to speed/ease visa procedures for travellers while efficiently fostering process automation for authorities, airports and airlines. In this regard, adhering to international standards to reach a truly integrated border management system with full interoperability is essential. Existing initiatives such as EES, ETIAS, and the other large IT systems in the area of freedom and justice will EU ensure a high level of border security.