Georgia: running the last lap on visa exemption

Georgian citizens will soon be able to travel to the Schengen area without visas. The European Parliament’s (EP) Civil Liberties Committee today adopted the agreement recently reached between the Parliament and the Council.

The EP Rapporteur, Mariya Gabriel MEP, calls on the Council to proceed as soon as possible: “On the road to visa liberalisation, Georgia has gone far beyond the requirements set out by the EU. The overwhelming majority of MEPs confirmed today that Georgian citizens immediately deserve to travel freely to the EU”, said Gabriel.

The visa liberalisation process has proven to be an effective tool for advancing far-reaching complex reforms in the country bringing it closer to European values and democratic standards.

“We want our European Union to be surrounded by a ring of friends. Georgia is a strategic partner in our Eastern neighbourhood. Visa liberalisation and the Association Agreement are like an anchor that can stabilise the political course in the long-run. We are not only bringing Georgian citizens closer to European Union values but we are also making sure that we make the EU safer. Georgia is an important partner for reinforcing our common security“, concluded the Rapporteur.

The agreement will come into force following the EP's plenary approval and its and the Council’s subsequent signatures.