The Grenada Government says it will sign on Thursday an agreement with the European Union later this month that will facilitate visa free travel to Schengen countries including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France and Germany. The accord will be signed in Brussels during the European Union Council of Ministers and will allow for Grenadians to travel to those European countries for a maximum period of 90 days in any 180-day period. Last week, Dominica announced that it would be signing a similar agreement with Europe. A Government statement here said that the agreement will be signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Clarice Modeste-Curwen “and will allow Grenadians to visit the countries of the European Union for up to 90 days within any 180 day period without a visa. “Similarly, citizens of the European Union will be able to visit Grenada for the same period without a visa,” the statement said, adding that “the agreement will cover all categories of persons travelling for purposes of tourism, cultural visits, scientific activities, family visits, and business. “This includes journalists, sportspersons and intra-corporate trainees. However, it does not include persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity for which a visa would be required. Meanwhile, the Government says effective June 10, Grenadians will no longer require a visa to travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) following the signing of a visa waiver agreement with the PRC on February 25. “This waiver allows for holders of all categories of passports from both countries to travel freely, as long as the laws and regulations of the receiving country are respected. “This development is particularly important for the further strengthening of Grenada-China relations. Visa free travel is regarded as one of the clearest indicators of favourable relations between countries. “This waiver will further assist Grenada’s efforts in accessing the huge tourism market that China offers. Members of Grenada’s private sector interested in doing business with Chinese companies will also benefit from this waiver,” the Government statement noted. Source: Ja observer