European Parliament votes to end visa-free travel for Americans

[Stonepounder]

The European Parliament has voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the EU.

It comes after the US failed to agree visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania – as part of a reciprocity agreement. US citizens can normally travel to all countries in the bloc without a visa.

The vote urges the revocation of the scheme within two months, meaning Americans will have to apply for extra documents for 12 months after the European Commission implements a “delegated act” to bring the change into effect.

The Commission discovered three years ago that the US was not meeting its obligations under the reciprocity agreement but has not yet taken any legal action. The latest vote, prepared by the civil liberties committee and approved by a plenary session of parliament, gives the Commission two months to act before MEPs can consider action in the European Court of Justice.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/europe-visa-free-travel-americans-european-parliament-vote-a7609406.html

So now we will need to get Visas to go visit. The Gov't here doesn't seem to understand that there can and will be push-back when we act like school-yard bullies. (And what is the best way to deal with a bully? Beat the holy-crap out of them.)

[Rhiannon12866]

1. Turnabout is fair play - thanks Trump!

Meanwhile, no one wants to come here - and who can blame them?? How many jobs and how much revenue will be lost when the tourist industry collapses??

[NBachers]

2. And it'll never come back - you bastards- Trump; all republicans; "purity" hold-outs.

[world wide wally]

3. I would do the same thing if I were them.

Trump's goal is to divide and conquer because "HE" is "ALL" that matters.

Someday even the deplorables will see this.

[gopiscrap]

4. Thanks a lot trump-you fucker

[SoCalNative]

5. Curious as to what effect this will have

for Americans who currently reside in the EU with a residency permit...

[malaise]

6. Who didn't see this coming?

Ah well.

[DFW]

7. I have to side with the US on this one

The EU had no business whatsoever letting Romania and Bulgaria into the EU, much less into Schengen. The number of problems caused by a dozen big EU companies looking for cheap labor (which was the ONLY reason to let Romania and Bulgaria in) is immense, and letting these countries send their economic refugee suplus into the USA without limit would be the height of stupidity.

The whole EU (plus Switzerland, which is Schengen, though not EU) is suffering from this stupid decision, and I don't see why the USA needs to let Romanians and Bulgarians in without limit. Croatia is a lesser problem, and lumping Cyprus and Poland in with the rest of them is downright stupid. But I see no reason for the USA to suffer just because a few big industrial bosses in Germany and France got their way with Romania and Bulgaria. If that means we need a visa to visit the EU, with all the paperwork and loss of numbers of Americans visiting Europe, then so be it. How long do you think it will be before the EU economy screams bloody murder due to the reduced tourism? I figure at most a month or two. The EU will be granting tourist visas at the airport, probably print-outs from your computer before you even leave.

This is not America being a school yard bully, not this time. We never let Romanians and Bulgarians in visa-free, and nor should we. If the EU suddenly gets huffy because Romania and Bulgaria suddenly feel their oats, then too bad for the EU. It's like letting Kansas and Nebraska demand to set EPA policy for the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. I wouldn't stand for that either.

[Myrddin]

9. Expletive deleted

"The EU had no business whatsoever letting Romania and Bulgaria into the EU, much less into Schengen. The number of problems caused by a dozen big EU companies looking for cheap labor (which was the ONLY reason to let Romania and Bulgaria in) is immense, and letting these countries send their economic refugee suplus into the USA without limit would be the height of stupidity."

The EU has every business, what on earth makes you think they don't? The EU has a PR democratically elected parliament, and individual national veto. Refugees?? This is about tourist visas, not green cards on entry.

" It's like letting Kansas and Nebraska demand to set EPA policy for the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. I wouldn't stand for that either" No, it's more like the EU saying that US citizens are welcome to tourist visas except residents of Kansas and Nebraska.

European Union: you know like "union" as one.

[GeoWilliam750]

8. Who is the winner in all of this?

[hatrack]

10. Nobody - it's lose-lose on tourism, which is going to slide regardless . . . .

Europeans are going to bag visiting the US, because Fuck Donald Trump.

Americans are going to bag visiting Europe, 'cuz they don't speak English over there, and scary scary scary scary Muslims.