A summit meeting on Niagara-on-the-Lake two weeks ago between Canada and the European Union made no progress on a priority issue for EU’s newest members – visa free travel to Canada.

Perceiving the Canadians as intransigent the Czech Republic has tabled a proposal within the EU demanding that the EU introduce visa requirements for Canadians who now only require an up to-date passport to enter EU territory.

The issue is of prime concern for Estonia , who dropped visa requirements for Canadians in the spring of 2004 when it formally became a EU member. Estonians have sensed, that of the EU members for whom Canadian visas are mandatory, Estonia might be the first to meet Canada’s conditions for dispensing with the visa. It is the understanding of the Estonian Central Council in Canada that travelers from Estonia have the lowest rate of convention refugee applicants, detentions for criminal activity, remaining beyond the visa deadline etc. In other words, compared to travelers from other countries Estonians have been more compliant with Canada’s expectations. It must also be noted that current Estonian passports have more advanced authentication/anti forgery features than Canada’s.

But the Council also realizes that Canada would not make a unilateral decision with respect to Estonia and leave such politically more important countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the lurch. Canadian communities from the latter countries also have greater electoral clout.

Washington’s insistence on a secure common border is an important factor in the equation. Visa free travel to Canada would only follow US approval.

Canada has been promoting better trade and investment relations, cultural ties, mutual projects in scientific/medical research etc. with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The visa requirement is a definite obstacle to progress in these areas.

Visa processing in Warsaw, Poland, often takes five or more weeks. Entrepreneurs, whose livelihood depends of constant travel, must remain without their passports for extended periods. It places an added burden on Canadians who frequently cannot make firm plans for relatives’ arrival, confident that arrangements do not have to be changed.

Taking into account Canada’s record as being the first G-7 country to re-establish diplomatic relations with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and the first to ratify NATO expansion decisions, Canada’s reluctance to move on the issue is puzzling.

The Estonian Central Council urges all to write their Members of Parliament regarding the problem to bring the MPs’ attention to the question. Faced with the possibility of the Czech Republic’s proposal gaining momentum within the EU, Canada has promised to re-visit the issue this coming fall.

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