EU, Georgia Sign Security of Information Agreement

Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini signed Security of Information Agreement between Georgia and the EU in Brussels on June 23.

Upon entry into force, the agreement will enable the European Commission, EU’s diplomatic service – the European External Action Service, the Council of the EU to exchange classified information with relevant authorities in Georgia.

The agreement, however, does not oblige either the EU or Georgia to exchange classified information, but ensures that any such information, if exchanged, is given a level of protection commensurate with its security classification.

The agreement is expected to enter into force by the end of 2016 after the completion of the ratification procedures by Georgia and the EU.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that the agreement “will significantly contribute to deepening of Georgia’s cooperation with the EU in the security sector.”

During the meeting Janelidze and Mogherini discussed broad range of priority areas of the EU-Georgia cooperation, including implementation of the Association Agreement, visa liberalisation, ongoing reforms in Georgia, as well as “situation in the occupied regions” of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

“We know that you also have important elections coming up in October and we hope that our cooperation before and after that will be as excellent as it has been so far,” Mogherini said.

She also reiterated that Georgia has done a “remarkable” work in meeting all the criteria required to be granted short-term visa-free travel rules in the Schengen area. EU’s final decision on visa liberalization has been delayed after the last-minute objection from Germany earlier this month.