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1. Depending on the level of cooperation of a third country with Member States on the readmission of irregular migrants, assessed on the basis of relevant and objective data, Article 14(6), Article 16(1), point (b) of Article 16(5), Article 23(1), and Article 24(2) and (2c) shall not apply to applicants or categories of applicants who are nationals of a third country that is considered not to be cooperating sufficiently, in accordance with this Article.

2. The Commission shall regularly assess, at least once a year, third countries' cooperation with regard to readmission, taking account, in particular, of the following indicators:

(a) the number of return decisions issued to persons from the third country in question, illegally staying on the territory of the Member States;

(b) the number of actual forced returns of persons issued with return decisions as a percentage of the number of return decisions issued to nationals of the third country in question including, where appropriate, on the basis of Union or bilateral readmission agreements, the number of third country nationals who have transited through the territory of the third country in question;

(c) the number of readmission requests per Member State accepted by the third country as a percentage of the number of such requests submitted to it;

(d) the level of practical cooperation with regard to return in the different stages of the return procedure, such as:

(i) assistance provided in the identification of persons illegally staying on the territory of the Member States and in the timely issuance of travel documents;

(ii) acceptance of the European travel document for the return of illegally staying third-country nationals or laissez-passer;

(iii) acceptance of the readmission of persons who are to be legally returned to their country;

(iv) acceptance of return flights and operations.

Such an assessment shall be based on the use of reliable data provided by Member States, as well as by Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. The Commission shall regularly, at least once a year, report its assessment to the Council.

3. A Member State may also notify the Commission if it is confronted with substantial and persisting practical problems in the cooperation with a third country in the readmission of irregular migrants on the basis of the same indicators as those listed in paragraph 2. The Commission shall immediately inform the European Parliament and the Council of the notification.

4. The Commission shall examine any notification made pursuant to paragraph 3 within a period of one month. The Commission shall inform the European Parliament and the Council of the results of its examination.

5. Where, on the basis of the analysis referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4, and taking into account the steps taken by the Commission to improve the level of cooperation of the third country concerned in the field of readmission and the Union's overall relations with that third country, including in the field of migration, the Commission considers that a country is not cooperating sufficiently and that action is therefore needed, or where, within 12 months, a simple majority of Member States have notified the Commission in accordance with paragraph 3, the Commission, while continuing its efforts to improve the cooperation with the third country concerned, shall submit a proposal to the Council to adopt:

(a) an implementing decision temporarily suspending the application of any one or more of Article 14(6), point (b) of Article 16(5), Article 23(1), or Article 24(2) and (2c), to all nationals of the third country concerned or to certain categories thereof;

(b) where, following an assessment by the Commission, the measures applied in accordance with the implementing decision referred to in point (a) of this paragraph are considered ineffective, an implementing decision applying, on a gradual basis, one of the visa fees set out in Article 16(2a) to all nationals of the third country concerned or to certain categories thereof.

6. The Commission shall continuously assess and report on the basis of the indicators set out in paragraph 2 whether substantial and sustained improvement in the cooperation with the third country concerned on readmission of irregular migrants can be established and, taking also account of the Union's overall relations with that third country, may submit a proposal to the Council to repeal or amend the implementing decisions referred to in paragraph 5.

7. At the latest six months after the entry into force of the implementing decisions referred to in paragraph 5, the Commission shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council on progress achieved in that third country's cooperation on readmission.

8. Where, on the basis of the analysis referred to in paragraph 2 and taking account of the Union's overall relations with the third country concerned, especially in cooperation in the field of readmission, the Commission considers that the third country concerned is cooperating sufficiently, it may submit a proposal to the Council to adopt an implementing decision concerning applicants or categories of applicants who are nationals of that third country and who apply for a visa on the territory of that third country, providing for one or more of the following:

(a) reduction of the visa fee referred to in Article 16(1) to EUR 60;

(b) reduction of the time within which decisions on an application referred to in Article 23(1) are to be made to 10 days;

(c) increase in the period of validity of multiple-entry visas under Article 24(2). That implementing decision shall apply for a maximum of one year. It may be renewed.