The European Commission proposed lifting visa requirements for Qatari and Kuwaiti citizens traveling to the EU during a meeting on Wednesday.
The EU executive body said in a press statement that, if the proposal is accepted by the European Parliament and EU member states, “Qatari and Kuwaiti nationals holding biometric passports would no longer need a visa when traveling to the EU for short stays.”
Citizens of the two countries would be allowed to stay in the EU for business, tourism or family purposes for up to 90 days in any 180-day period through the proposed waiver.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell indicated, “Our proposal to lift visa requirements for Qatari and Kuwaiti nationals is a first step to make it easier for people from the entire region to travel to the European Union.”
The EU’s “final objective is to ensure regional coherence and ultimately achieve visa-free travel for all Gulf Cooperation Council countries,” Borrell added.
