The European Parliament on Thursday called on the EU's executive body to reintroduce visas for US citizens "within two months," citing Washington's failure to provide full visa reciprocity.

By a show of hands, parliamentarians passed a resolution demanding that the European Commission impose visas by May, ahead of the traditionally busy tourist season.

"The lack of visa reciprocity affects at least 14 percent of EU citizens, namely the citizens of Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Cyprus and Poland as well as some EU citizens with dual nationality," said ALDE group Vice President Filiz Hyusmenova in a statement following the vote.

"It is high time for the commission to show administrative will and political strength, not only for defending those citizens' rights, but also for reinforcing the strength and unity of the European Union on the international scene," she added.

Deadlines pass

However, a similar parliamentary attempt in 2014 fell to the wayside after Brussels allowed a deadline to pass without a response.

The Commission said European officials have contacted US President Donald Trump's administration"to push for full visa reciprocity."

"We will report on further progress made before the end of June and continue to work closely with both the European Parliament and the Council," said a European Commission spokeswoman.

European officials said they hope to resolve the issue at an EU-US ministerial meeting slated for June 15.

Brussels has been hesitant to re-impose travel restrictions for Americans, who comprise a large segment of tourists and business travelers to the 28-nation bloc.

A trip around all 16 federal states Bavaria Bavaria is the most popular travel destination in Germany - every year around 8.5 million foreign guests visit the state. Bavaria is especially renowned for its traditions and beautiful landscapes. Around 12.9 million people live here. The capital is Munich.

A trip around all 16 federal states Baden-Württemberg Bavaria's neighboring state in the southwest of Germany is Baden-Württemberg. Germany's third largest state is definitely as diverse as the local dialects in terms of landscape, cuisine and sights. Baden-Württemberg is home to 10.9 million people. The capital is Stuttgart.

A trip around all 16 federal states Berlin Among the 16 federal states, there are three city states: Berlin is one of them. The German capital, seat of government and cultural metropolis has 3.7 million inhabitants. Above all, Berlin is an exciting city that is constantly changing. That's probably why tourists love it so much.

A trip around all 16 federal states Hamburg The Hanseatic City of Hamburg also belongs to the three city states and has around 1.9 million inhabitants. "Große Freiheit" - or great freedom - is more than merely the name of a street in the city's popular red light district. It is a unique approach to life in Hamburg.

A trip around all 16 federal states Bremen From the urban heart of Bremen to the maritime center of Bremerhaven, it's Germany's smallest state, with only 671,000 inhabitants - yet it offers a wide range of attractions. Life in the city state is shaped by Hanseatic traditions and an openness to the world.

A trip around all 16 federal states Lower Saxony Few cities and lots of countryside - that's what Lower Saxony is all about. From the North Sea mudflats to the hills of the Weser Uplands, Germany's second-largest state in terms of area boasts a variety of landscapes. Around 8 million people live here. The capital is Hanover.

A trip around all 16 federal states North Rhine-Westphalia As Germany's most populous state, with 17.9 million inhabitants, North Rhine-Westphalia is known for its cultural diversity as well as for its cheerful and hard-working people. The biggest city is Cologne, but the capital is the nearby city of Düsseldorf.

A trip around all 16 federal states Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate is a wine, woods and walking country. Its nature is enhanced by different rivers - the Rhine, Moselle, Nahe and Ahr - while the rich culture of the state also offers guaranteed pleasure. Over 4.1 million people live in Rhineland-Palatinate. The capital is Mainz.

A trip around all 16 federal states Hessen The state of Hessen offers highlights for anyone traveling through Germany. It is the home of the Brothers Grimm's fairytale landscapes as well as the banking metropolis of Frankfurt on the river Main. Hessen has 6.2 million inhabitants. Wiesbaden is the capital.

A trip around all 16 federal states Saarland The Saarland in western Germany is a small state with an interesting past. It borders on both France and Luxembourg. European lifestyle is part of everyday life here. The state has just over one million inhabitants. The capital is Saarbrücken.

A trip around all 16 federal states Schleswig-Holstein Overlooking the Baltic and the North Sea, this state is strongly influenced by maritime life. The fabulous beaches, islands and port towns are more than convincing reasons to visit Schleswig-Holstein. Around 2.8 million people live here. The capital is Kiel.

A trip around all 16 federal states Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also has its share of the Baltic Sea coasts. The state was once part of East Germany and now belongs to the five German states formed after the reunification of the country in 1990. Around 1.6 million people live here, and the capital is Schwerin.

A trip around all 16 federal states Brandenburg Brandenburg neighbors the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Berliners love to go out to Brandenburg on day trips to enjoy its natural beauty, as it is within easy reach. The region has just 2.5 million inhabitants. The capital of Brandenburg is Potsdam.

A trip around all 16 federal states Saxony Saxony, in the East of Germany, has about four million inhabitants and covers 18,400 square kilometers, placing it somewhere in the middle of the list of German states. There is so much to see: The beautiful baroque architecture of its capital, Dresden, is just one example.

A trip around all 16 federal states Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt attracts visitors with its famous Bauhaus architecture, as well as with its beautiful landscaped gardens like the Dessau-Wörlitz Gardens, which date back to the 18th century. The region has around 2.2 million inhabitants. The capital is Magdeburg.

A trip around all 16 federal states Thuringia Thuringia is located right in the middle of the country. This state has around 2.2 million inhabitants, and its capital is Erfurt. "Germany - state by state" gives an overview of all the German federal states. Author: Elisabeth Yorck von Wartenburg



ls/bw (Reuters, dpa, AP)