The Council of the European Union’s ‘Visa Working Party’—the committee that prepares legislative files on the common visa policy—convened its 369 691st meeting on Monday 14 September at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels. Switzerland, although not an EU member, attends as an associated Schengen state alongside Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. According to the agenda, delegates reviewed draft benchmarks for the visa-waiver suspension mechanism, a discussion paper on increasing Schengen visa fees to finance IT upgrades, and governance proposals for monitoring visa-liberalised countries. Swiss officials used the session to underline Bern’s support for a digital Schengen visa and to request clarifications on data-sharing safeguards once the EU’s Visa Information System (VIS) is upgraded next year. For multinational employers the meeting hints at two upcoming changes: a probable rise in the standard Schengen visa fee (currently €80) and tighter monitoring of overstays by citizens of visa-free countries. Both measures would apply in Switzerland under the Schengen Association Agreement, meaning HR departments may need to adjust travel budgets and compliance tracking for visitors who work temporarily at Swiss sites. Minutes of the meeting will be published in early October, but insiders say consensus is forming around a modest €10-€15 fee increase and a phased roll-out of digital visas from late-2027. Swiss consulates worldwide are expected to pilot the e-visa platform six months after the EU launch.
