EU laments lack of progress in US visa talks

BRUSSELS – The European Union says little progress has been made in persuading the United States to lift visa restrictions on some EU countries despite the visa waiver accord between Washington and Brussels.

The EU’s executive Commission said Wednesday that it “will intensify its efforts” to get the U.S. to extend visa-free travel to citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania once president-elect Donald Trump takes office.

The Commission was legally bound to propose earlier this year that visas be reintroduced for U.S. citizens until all EU nationals have visa-free entry but the bloc’s member states preferred to take no action.

The Commission says that suspending the visa waiver for U.S. travellers would be complicated and bothersome for EU citizens but would also hurt trade, tourism and the European economy.