The European Union grants UAE visa-free travel to 34 countries

Marbella property for sale, and properties for sale on the Costa del Sol continue to boast good news in sales. Many cannot ignore the potential held within owning a property in Marbella. Owning a second holiday home in the South of Spain provides plenty of options for ROI; this includes using your second holiday home as a rental space to the thousands of vacationers who show up each year on the Costa del Sol. More news coming down the wire is also shaking up the South of Spain.

On May 6, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union signed a short-stay visa waiver agreement at a ceremony in Brussels. This agreement comes as a major diplomatic victory for the United Arab Emirates, as they are now the first Arab country whose citizens receive this waiver, allowing them access to 34 European countries, including the Schengen Area.

The agreement was signed by representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission, on behalf of the EU. Ambassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui signed the agreement for the United Arab Emirates.

The only thing required by UAE nationals to enter the Schengen countries is a valid passport, without the need to obtain a visa prior to travelling. The agreement was sent to the European Parliament to obtain consent before being concluded.

The proposal to grant the UAE Schengen visa-free status was passed by the European Parliament in June 2014, with 523 out of 577 votes. Diplomats have said that this agreement, which went into effect on May 7, was a historic moment for both the United Arab Emirates and the European Union.

The agreement is thought to increase tourism and create new business opportunities for both parties. There are currently around 500 flights per week between the United Arab Emirates and Europe, which will likely increase now due to the travel restrictions being lifted. Trade between the EU and the UAE is currently around $50 billion annually, which will also most likely increase in the future.

The Schengen Area is made up of 26 countries in Europe, including Spain, that don’t have any type of border control at their common borders (also known as internal borders). It acts as a single country for international travel purposes and shares a common visa policy. The Schengen Area has twenty-two of the twenty-eight member states of the European Union participating, with the exclusion of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The other four states of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania would also like to join the Schengen area, as well as being legally obligated to do so, and they are targeted to join by 2016. The area has a current population of over 400 million people.

The United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the European Union, Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, said “The Schengen waiver agreement was an initiative that’s been there for three years. Today, it has been successfully concluded by the signing ceremony at the EU Council.”

The agreement will allow visa-free travel for citizens of the European Union and the United Arab Emirates between both territories for a maximum of 90 days during a 180-day period. The agreement for visa-free travel applies to all categories of travellers, including tourism, family vacations, business trips, and so on, with the exception of travelling for the purpose of carrying out paid activity.

Although part of the European Union, this agreement does not affect the United Kingdom or Ireland, and visa requirements for these countries remain subject to their national legislation. Both countries opted out of forming part of the Schengen Area.

It seems opportunity continues to knock along the Costa del Sol, and many predict a major influx of tourism, which actually might break last year’s Malaga tourism record. Real estate in Marbella prices are steadily rising, which will end the enormous discounts we are seeing today. Now is the time to take advantage of a profitable property investment in the South of Spain.
Take a look at some of our luxury properties in Marbella.