As Novye Izvestia writes, starting August 1, citizens of EU countries who do not need visas for travel to the USA are required to fill out a 'security questionnaire' on the Internet three days before boarding the plane and receive a response. If the document seems suspicious to US immigration officials, they can deny the tourist entry into the country. As Novye Izvestia notes, for now this new procedure is declared as recommended, but starting January 1 it will become mandatory for everyone, including children. Brussels threatens Washington with retaliatory measures, up to the introduction of visas for American diplomats.
Europeans accuse the USA of introducing a hidden visa regime, while Americans respond that they have simply duplicated in electronic form the questionnaire that is already filled out before landing at a US airport. On green and white paper forms, one must provide passport data, a temporary address in the USA, and answer questions related to security. For example, whether you are accused of war crimes.
The same information will now have to be submitted to US authorities via the Internet. That is, we are moving from ink to electronics. However, the new system is well characterized by its very name – Electronic System of Travel Authorization (the last word translates from English as both sanction and permission). The European Commission has dispersed for vacation, but in the fall, officials promised, they will investigate whether ESTA is a camouflaged visa system. If so, the EU threatened America with retaliatory measures.
The nervousness of Europeans is largely explained by a long and very difficult dialogue with the USA about visa-free travel overseas. Currently, only citizens of 15 out of 25 EU countries do not need a visa for entry to America. These are almost all of its 'old' members, except for Greece (since 1981, when this country joined the EU, Washington has not recognized Athens' ability to ensure the security of American citizens visiting Hellas, which remains the reason for such discrimination) plus Slovenia, which joined the European Union in 2004. All other newcomers are not covered by the visa waiver program with the USA. Between the 'old' and 'new' EU members that are part of the Schengen area, borders are completely open and there is no passport control. Consequently, Americans, arriving without a visa, say, in Paris, can freely travel from there to Narva or Lublin. But Estonians or Poles must obtain visas for travel to America. That's offensive, isn't it...
The US administration seems not opposed to abolishing visas for citizens of Central and Eastern European countries that are EU members. In June at the EU-US summit in Ljubljana, President George Bush said that by the end of this year, all EU citizens would be able to travel to America without visas. But in practice, it is more complicated. Washington long refused to discuss this topic with Brussels, preferring agreements with each country individually. Only in March did US Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff state that he agreed to 'two parallel tracks' of negotiations. That is, to discuss with the EU only matters of union competence. For example, everything related to the Schengen system. But to conclude visa waiver agreements with each country individually. After that, negotiations stalled.
'Despite all the efforts of the European Commission and individual EU member states, no tangible progress from the US is visible,' stated EC representative Michele Cercone. 'Therefore, the European Commission intends to propose retaliatory measures. For example, temporarily reinstate from January 1, 2009, the requirement of visas for entry into the EU for US citizens with diplomatic and service passports, if by that time the matter does not move from a deadlock.'
Refusing to discuss granting visa-free regime to all EU citizens as a bloc, Washington is conducting separate negotiations with individual Union members. Bilateral agreements have already been signed with the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Latvia. After fulfilling certain security conditions set by the Americans, their citizens will be granted visa-free entry to the USA.
The European Union accused the Americans of trying to undermine its common visa policy and impose conditions on individual EU members that contradict union legislation on aviation security and data protection. The Czechs, Estonians, and Latvians agreed, for example, to the presence of armed 'marshals' (armed police) on board US aircraft making transatlantic flights. Brussels officials openly told Prague, Riga, and Tallinn that such unauthorized action is unacceptable, as it weakens EU unity and Brussels' negotiating position.
Jonathan Faull, head of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs, confirmed that Brussels does not intend to share with the Americans all the information they demand to continue visa negotiations. Only some data that is 'useful in the fight against terrorism and serious organized crime.' But free access of US authorities to the EU police database, known as the 'Schengen Information System,' is excluded, he emphasized.