Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government in what circumstances the UK would be able to opt out of implementing the agreement contained in the statement of the Heads of State or Government of the EU issued on 7 March to "accelerate the implementation of the visa liberalisation roadmap with all member states with a view to lifting the visa requirements of Turkish citizens at the latest by the end of June 2016".

The UK Government cannot be obliged by the EU to lift visa requirements. Visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens as referred to in the Statement of 7 March is in respect of the Schengen area only. In accordance with the Schengen Protocol (No.19), the UK does not participate in the Schengen acquis concerning visas. The UK is free to request to participate in some or all of the provisions of the Schengen acquis which it does not already participate in, but is explicitly not obliged to do so. Nor is the UK bound by any Justice and Home Affairs measures in the area of EU visa policy unless the UK explicitly chooses to opt in, in accordance with the UK and Ireland’s JHA Protocol (No 21).