In a press release, the European Commission (EC) has announced, “[I]n view of the significant progress achieved during the last year and the positive momentum of ongoing work, the temporary suspension of visa waivers for nationals of Canada and the United States would be counterproductive at this moment and would not serve the objective of achieving visa-free travel for all EU citizens.”

The EC noted that in recent months, discussions with the relevant U.S. entities had “intensified” and that a process has begun that would move Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania into the Visa Waiver category. Stressing time sensitivity, the EC hopes to have a path defined and ready to be endorsed at the EU-U.S. Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting scheduled for June 2017.