Cecilia Malmström (left), EU’s Commissioner for Home Affairs, and Maia Panjikidze, Georgia’s Foreign Affairs Minister. (MFA.)
TBILISI, DFWatch–EU has agreed with Georgia about a visa action plan that may one day allow Georgians to enter Europe without a visa.
But first, the country must pass through a set of requirements in data safety, border management, migration, public order, security and human rights.
The plan consists of two phases: long-term legislative steps and short-term operative ones.
Georgia has already fulfilled some of the requirements and last year achieved an agreement about simplified visa procedures with the EU.
“Visa liberalization is of course a very important path to increase people to people contact,” said Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, presenting the action plan in Tbilisi Monday.
She said the EU encourages Georgia to continue with reforms in regards to the fight against corruption and organized crime, protection against discrimination of minorities, ensuring data protection and the independence of the justice system.
Talks about visa free travel is part of a wider process to achieve an association agreement with the EU which may also include free trade.
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