Irked by Canada’s decision to re-impose visa requirements for Czech nationals, the European Commission has given Canada until the end of 2009 to reverse the decision, or the commission will recommend that Ottawa’s diplomats and service passport holders will have to apply for visas to enter the EU.

Canada requires visa applications from only three EU states – Bulgaria, Romania and since July 14 2009, the Czech Republic.

This was the first time that a non-EU state re-imposed a visa requirement for citizens of an EU member state.

“This highly regrettable situation should be brought to an end as soon as possible,” the EC said in a report on October 20 2009.

The EC said that it “welcomes the willingness of all sides to engage in a dialogue” and encouraged Canada and the Czech Republic to continue their consultations in the framework of a Canada-Czech Republic Experts Working Group to address all issues in relation to the re-imposition of the visa requirement.

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