EU Commission: Georgia progressed on Visa LAP

"Georgia has made very good progress during the first few months, the first report of EU Commissions on implementation of the first phase Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP) by Georgia reads released on Friday.

The report published with less than two weeks ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius Summit on 28-29 November, the Commission is issuing three progress reports on the implementation by Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia.

Regarding Georgia, the Commission considers that the legislative and policy framework on document security, including biometrics, and integrated border management are at an advanced state of fulfilment.

The report reads that Georgia is also progressing well in the implementation of the benchmarks relating to migration management, asylum, public order and security, and external relations and fundamental rights.

"I also wish to congratulate Ukraine and Georgia for their progress. Ukraine is very close to moving to the second, practical stage of the implementation of the Action Plan, and Georgia has made very good progress during these first few months of the implementation of its Action Plan", said, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstr.

The EU-Georgia Visa Liberalisation Dialogue was launched on 4 June 2012 and the VLAP was presented to the Georgian authorities on 25 February 2013.

According to the Commission, the EU will continue to assist Georgia in the implementation of the VLAP and, depending on the progress achieved, it will issue the next report in 2014.