European Parliament votes not to accept passports issued by Russia in occupied areas

The European Parliament has endorsed a decision not to accept passports and other travel documents issued by Russia in illegally-occupied regions of Ukraine and Georgia.

A majority of parliamentarians (531 votes) approved an agreement with the Council of the EU not to accept travel documents issued by Russia in the occupied Ukrainian regions and the so-called breakaway Georgian territories for issuing visas and crossing external EU borders.

According to the proposal, the Commission should consult EU member states and draw up a list of Russian travel documents, notably passports, which should not be accepted. However, those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine will still be able to enter the EU on humanitarian grounds.

The decision will enter into force immediately after being formally adopted by the EU Council and published in the Official Journal of the EU.

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Press release