on easing EU regulations of the Schengen Treaty in case of family visits

 The yet to be accepted constitution of the EU suggests that the European Parliament apply regulations concerning border crossings and emigrations (Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe, Section 2 Article III-265 Paragraph (2) and Article III-267 Paragraph (2) a).

 The introduction of the Schengen Treaty poses a particular problem to the states recently joined to the EU because significant numbers of their ethnicity live in non EU countries along and within the borders of their neighboring non-EU countries.  Under the currently valid Schengen regulations, rules regarding border crossing are very strict. Non EU citizens are allowed to stay for only 90 days and for only once each year. Although individual member states may grant exemptions from this general rule, such exceptions are not regulated and call for various and complicated bureaucratic procedures. The lack of regulations hinders people from visiting families and relatives and therefore it makes difficult to maintain human and family contacts. It neither serves the EU-s security nor enforces its emigration policy. Because of this situation, the Greens believe that creating new EU treaties or modifying the current one would be desirable.

 Therefore, be it resolved that those non-EU citizens who travel to countries within the EU to care for their sick relatives, and children of their relatives or otherwise answer family needs, be exempted from the 90 days limit of the current Schengen Treaty.

 Such a regulation would improve the life of families living on both sides of the borders, strengthen the contact between member states of the EU and those of the non-members and thus benefit both groups.

 Since the EU Constitution will not be adopted in the near future, it is in the interest of the EU to formulate this proposal as soon as possible.