Parliamentary question

Written question to the European Commission

Volunteers from non-EU countries participating in the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programme are allowed to enter the EU in order to work on projects funded by the programme. The COVID‑19 pandemic has made this kind of mobility difficult but not impossible.

Volunteers and participants of the ESC programme from non‑EU countries are still having their visa applications rejected by Member State consular offices. This situation is hindering the implementation of volunteering projects in the EU Member States funded by the ESC programme.

National authorities claim that they cannot approve these visas because participants in EU mobility programmes are not exempt from restrictions on travel to the EU according to the list provided by the Commission. However, the Commission claims that there is a recommendation to gradually lift restrictions on non‑essential travel to the EU and that Member States should grant visas for volunteering purposes.

1. Is the Commission going to clarify the situation in order to enable ESC participants from non‑EU countries to obtain visas and participate in solidarity projects?

2. If so, when is going the Commission going to do so?

Answer given by Commissioner Johansson on behalf of the European Commission

The rules on the processing of visa applications and the granting of short stay visas have remained unchanged during the pandemic and must be dissociated from any travel restrictions. Council Recommendation 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction is, however, regularly revised.

The recommendation contains two annexes. Annex I lists the third countries from where travel to the EU should be allowed. Annex II lists the essential functions and needs for which travel to the EU should be allowed, irrespective of the traveler’s place of departure or residence.

In October 2020, the Commission issued ‘Guidance on persons exempted from the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU as regards the implementation of Council Recommendation 2020/912 of 30 June 2020’.

This guidance indicates that third-country nationals who fulfil the conditions of admission set in (amongst others) Directive (EU) 2016/801 on students, researchers, trainees, volunteers, school pupils and au pairs should be be exempted from the travel restriction.

Neither the Council nor the Commission Recommendations are legally binding and therefore the Member States maintain the right to impose stricter requirements.