EU Council Gives Green Light to Georgia Visa Waiver

Committee of EU ambassadors in Brussels (Coreper), on behalf of the EU Council, agreed on October 5 a negotiating position on visa liberalisation for Georgia.

The decision comes one month after members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) voted in favor of opening inter-institutional negotiations on Georgia’s visa waiver proposal – a legislative procedure when the European Parliament enters into negotiations on a legislative proposal with other EU institutions, including the Council, whose approval is also required for the visa liberalisation to enter into force.

As a result of the October 5 decision by the Coreper, the Slovak presidency of the EU Council will now start negotiations with the European Parliament.

It should then be followed by a vote of the proposal at the European Parliament’s plenary session.

The Council, however, made it clear that the entry into force of visa liberalisation for Georgia should be at the same time as the entry into force of the new, easier and faster visa-free suspension mechanism.

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The suspension mechanism enables EU members to temporarily reintroduce visa requirements for third-country nationals in the event of sudden surges in irregular immigration, unfounded asylum applications or a failure to cooperate with the EU on return of irregular migrants.

The discussions between the European Parliament and the Council on the suspension mechanism are still ongoing.

After all these remaining procedures are completed, among them ratification by the European Parliament, Georgian citizens, who hold biometric passports, will be able to travel to the Schengen area without visa for a period of stay of 90 days in any 180-day period. 

“The Council has today demonstrated its strong commitment to visa-free travel for Georgian citizens, taking into account Georgia’s reforms,” said Peter Javorčík, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the EU, whose country now holds EU’s rotating presidency.

“The [Slovak] Presidency believes that the path of credible reforms is the right one and should be encouraged. We count on the European Parliament’s support in finalising the related process so that the citizens of Georgia can enjoy visa-free travel as soon as possible”, he said.