Home Department written question – answered at on 12 September 2005.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time for a decision on an application for leave to remain under the provisions of the European Community Association Agreement was in the last period for which figures are available .
The average waiting time for Bulgarian and Romanian European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) applications in the last period for which figures are available was 258 working days. Information about Turkish ECAA applications is not currently available but is scheduled to be published with other relevant data in late August 2005. It should be noted that consideration of all applications made under the provisions of the ECAA was suspended on
Yes0 people think so
No4 people think not
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Annotations
Vladimir Mihaylov
Posted on 15 Oct 2005 9:13 am (Report this annotation)
Could anybody explain what "258 working days" really mean?
According to the answer, it means that the average waiting time is more than one calendar year (52weeks-4weeks holiday = 48weeks * 5working days = 240 working days.) It also means that the Department dealing with ECAA cases has done almost nothing for more than a year and a half, because "all applications made under the provisions of the ECAA was suspended on 30 March 2004 and has been resumed in stages with Bulgarian and Romanian switching cases re- starting on 1 October 2004, further leave and indefinite leave to remain on 14 February 2005".
I came to this conclusion because of the fact that my application has been ageing in the HO for more than 18 months. Furthermore, I know people (at least 10) who have been waiting for longer than that and some even for more than 24 months.
And my question is: Is that in accordance with the ECAA agreement signed in March 1993 and came into force on 1st February 1995.
“Each Member State shall grant, from entry into force of the Agreement, for the establishment of Bulgarian companies and nationals and for the operation of Bulgarian companies and nationals established in its territory, a treatment no less favourable than that accorded to its own companies and nationals”
Petre Hristov
Posted on 28 Oct 2005 12:38 pm
This annotation has been removed