For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: Jane Doe, 202-282-8010
Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on Enhancing Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Serious Crime (PDF, 9 pages - 502 KB )
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich signed today an agreement on Enhancing Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Serious Crime (the PCSC Agreement) with Estonian Minister of Interior Jüri Pihl and the Minister of Justice Rein Lang.
“This agreement will benefit citizens in both countries, and I commend our Estonian partners for taking a critical step toward reaching the shared goal of an expanded and more secure Visa Waiver Program,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “This agreement will jointly enable law enforcement officers on both sides to investigate crime more quickly and efficiently, and will help to further prevent criminal and terrorist travel.”
Earlier this year, the two governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Estonia’s candidacy for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that required, among other things, an agreement between the countries on information sharing for certain criminal activity.
The security enhancements outlined in the first declaration represent important requirements of the modernized VWP. The requirements include better information sharing about international travel, border screening improvements in information exchange on known and suspected terrorists, timely and comprehensive reporting of lost and stolen passports, and strengthened airport and aviation security.
Signing the PCSC Agreement is the final substantive step on Estonia’s part to fulfill its requirements for designation as a member of the VWP.
The VWP allows travelers from a number of countries to travel to the United States for short tourist or business trips without the requirement of obtaining a visa. Currently, 27 countries participate in the VWP, including several members of the European Union.
The Administration sought authority to reform the VWP for years, and the Congress passed legislation last year allowing for its expansion to a number of additional countries, including Estonia. The legislation requires that candidate countries cooperate with the United States to share information in security and law enforcement-related areas.
This legislation also mandates certain improvements to the VWP for all participating countries, such as a requirement that travelers first obtain an online approval to travel under the newly established Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Of the more than 136,000 ESTA applications filed so far, over 99.5 percent have been approved, the vast majority in less than one minute. For additional information about the VWP, as well as the new ESTA requirement, please visit https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.