European Commissioner for Home Affairs Magnus Brunner, in a written answer on 12 June 2026, defended Australia's visa arrangements for EU citizens, arguing that the eVisitor system provides equal treatment and that visa-waiver reciprocity is in place. The response, to a question by S&D MEP Matjaž Nemec, rejected claims that the parallel Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) system, which excludes citizens from 12 EU member states, constitutes unequal treatment under EU law.
Nemec had asked whether the differentiation between EU citizens eligible for the more automated ETA and those limited to the eVisitor scheme breached Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 on visa reciprocity. He noted that citizens from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia cannot use the ETA, leading to disparities in processing and user experience.
Brunner, however, pointed to a 2012 Commission report which concluded that eVisitor provides equal treatment for all EU and Schengen-associated citizens, a position he said remains valid. He stressed that achieving and maintaining reciprocal visa-free travel is a key principle of EU common visa policy, and that the Commission proactively pursues this with third countries, including Australia. The answer contained no concrete proposals or plans to raise the issue with Australian authorities, instead reaffirming the existing assessment.
The response signals that the Commission does not view the ETA-eVisitor divide as a reciprocity problem, potentially disappointing MEPs and citizens from the excluded member states who face a less streamlined process. For affected travellers, the practical impact remains unchanged: they must use the eVisitor system, which may involve longer processing times. The Commission's stance may also influence future EU-Australia mobility negotiations, as it effectively endorses the status quo. No immediate institutional follow-up is expected, though the issue could resurface in the context of the EU's broader visa reciprocity monitoring.
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