BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) on Wednesday took forward the decisions to establish the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) in an aim to protect the external borders.

In a statement, the European Commission welcomed a political agreement on the ETIAS was reached by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU Wednesday.

The system will apply to visa-exempt third country nationals. They will need to obtain a travel authorization before their trip, via an online application.

"Today's agreement on the ETIAS is an important step towards building a safer and more secure Europe for our citizens," European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said, together with Commissioner for home affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos and Commissioner for security union Julian King.

"We need to know who is crossing our borders. This new system, once operational, will carry out pre-travel screening for security and migration risks of travelers benefiting from visa-free access to the Schengen area," they said.

The regulation will be submitted to the European Parliament for a vote at first reading, and to the Council for adoption.