Samoa and Vanuatu have become the first Pacific countries to sign visa waiver agreements with the European Union.
The short stay visa waiver agreement was signed this week in Brussels between the EU's Dimitris Avramopoulos and Samoa's EU ambassador, Pao Luteru and Vanuatu's foreign minister, Sato Kilman.
PACNEWS reports Dr Luteru as saying the new visa waiver will open up more opportunities in Europe for the people of Samoa.
He says it will allow more opportunity to travel to Europe for various reasons whether it's social, culture or economic in nature but not for paid employment.
Dr Luteru says PNG and Fiji will hopefully be on the list towards the end of the year.
Mr Kilman says the visa waiver is a clear demonstration by the EU of finding new ways for peoples of the two regions to benefit from the partnership.
