Schengen Visa waiver process for Peru and Colombia is in the final stage, French Ambassador to Lima (Peru) Fabrice Mauriès expressed after reaffirming recent terror attacks will not affect this measure.
"We are in the final stages for both: Colombia and Peru. There are some technical steps to follow by European and Peruvian sides; On the Peruvian side, the biometric passport implementation is pending," he indicated.
The said document is an extremely important element, "more important now than before. It is the reason why we work together, Europeans and Peruvians, so it will be implemented in the near future," he told RPP radio and TV station.
According to the Ambassador, the process began a couple of years ago, and it will not be affected by terror attacks perpetrated in Paris.
Thanks to the Schengen visa elimination, Peruvians will be able to travel to countries such as Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Italy, Finland, France, Greece, Portugal and Hungary.
Tourists will be allowed to stay in the Schengen Area for 90 days. The measure does not apply to people, who travel for work purposes.
The Government of Spain formally requested visa elimination for Peru and Colombia before the European Union (EU) in September 2013.
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) existing among South American and European nations was one of the essential aspects to support the waiver implementation.
Negotiations concluded on May 20th. Thus, the agreement signing ceremony took place last June.
(END) VVS/FHG/AVV/MVB