UAE citizens will not be subject to latest counterterrorism measures, says EU official

The European Union ambassador to the UAE, Patrizio Fondi, has said that the Emirates’ citizens will not be covered by new counterterrorism procedures at airports, land borders and sea ports. Speaking to Al-Ittihad, Fondi said that Europe will not be a fortress for the UAE’s citizens.

Although no Emirati should suffer from the new measures, they will have to show their passports while travelling between EU countries, as European and American citizens do. Their data will be recorded.

According to Fondi, Europe’s confidence in the UAE and its citizens cannot be shaken because of terrorist acts carried out by criminal groups. The ambassador explained that the new procedures affect all people coming to Europe. The objective, he said, is both the prevention and deterrence of terrorism.

He pointed out that the UAE is the only country that has been exempted from the Schengen visa scheme because it is a country whose laws are in line with those in Europe and it does not have a history of security problems. “There is no Emirati who seeks to leave his beautiful country and migrate to Europe,” he added.