"By giving its green light today, the Council has demonstrated its commitment to visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine, taking into account that all requirements have been met. Credible reform is the right path and should be encouraged. I am also delighted that our decision is able to send a positive message in the run up to the EU-Ukraine Summit on 24 November," Peter Javorcik, the president of the Permanent Representatives Committee, said in a statement.
In December 2015, the EU Commission reached a conclusion that Ukraine had met the benchmark requirements for visa exemption and on April 20 of this year, the Commission published the proposal for visa liberalization.
Once the European parliament agrees and adopts the proposal, EU citizens will be able to travel to the territory of Ukraine visa-free and likewise Ukrainian citizens will be able to travel to the EU countries visa-free for a period of 90 days in any 180-day period. Ireland and the United Kingdom will still be exempted from these measures, according to EU treaties.
