BRUSSELS: Preparatory work is underway in the European Parliament for the negotiations to start with the Council of Minister on lifting of Schengen visa for Kuwaiti citizens, European Parliament sources said Thursday.

EU ambassadors Wednesday approved the negotiating mandate for the EU Council of Ministers on the lifting of Schengen visa for Kuwait. On the basis of this mandate, the Council which represents the 27 EU states, will start negotiations with the European Parliament.

"At the moment, preparatory work is underway, but there isn't yet a date for the next official steps. Most probably these will be discussed after the summer recess, when the Parliament's legislative work continues on 29 August," the sources told KUNA.

The visa liberalisation proposals for Kuwait was made by the European Commission on 27 April and announced in the European Parliament in May, which was the first step in the European Parliament procedure, said the sources. It will now first be discussed by the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee for its approval, before discussions and vote in the full European Parliament, noted the sources.