European Commission reviews Georgia’s implementation of Visa Liberalisation Action Plan
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"Georgia's progress has been significant in a short period of time" but the country "still needs to address the remaining recommendations” says the European Commission in its latest report on Georgia's implementation of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP).
Ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga on May 21-22, the Commission issued two progress reports on the VLAP implementation by Georgia and Ukraine.
"Georgia's progress has been significant in a short period of time and is broadly in line with the second-phase benchmarks,” the Commission reports noted.
"While the legislative and institutional framework is in place and the integrity of the institutional and organisational practices across the four blocks of VLAP generally comply with European and international standards, Georgia still needs to address the remaining recommendations and sustained efforts by all stakeholders involved will be needed.”
The report stated Georgia's key priority was the sustainable implementation of the legal and institutional framework, in particular in the areas of asylum, anti-corruption, human trafficking and drugs. The Commission said fulfilling the actions stated in the report would allow Georgia to complete its implementation of all of the VLAP’s Phase two benchmarks.
"The visa liberalisation dialogue is an important driver of reforms in the area of Justice and Home Affairs. Georgia and Ukraine showed great commitment in fulfilling the VLAP benchmarks under the second phase. It is crucial that this hard work continues in the months to come,” said Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos.
Click here to see the full report on Georgia.
The Commission said it would continue to monitor Georgia and Ukraine and "do its utmost to support" the two countries, and would again issue another report on VLAP implementation progress by the end of 2015.
Will Georgia be granted a visa free regime with the European Union (EU) at the Riga Summit in May? The outcome is still unclear, as the EU noted it was waiting for an evaluation by European experts before it will make a final decision.
Latvia’s Foreign Minister is promising Georgia’s progress will be adequately appreciated at the Riga Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit to be held during the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), and to grow into "another milestone” for Georgia’s close integration into EU.
Georgia’s three top officials have voiced their expectations of what they hope the country will achieve at the upcoming Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit.
Georgia’s implementation of the Association Agreement (AA) and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) was the main topic discussed at today’s meeting between the country’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili and European Union (EU) Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.
Changes to Georgia’s border crossing procedures mean current dated rules and regulations are moving away from the past and closer towards modern, international standards.
More than 400 civil society organisations from Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, including Georgia, are calling on the European Union (EU) to stay true to its values regarding EaP policies and communicate the benefits of EU integration more effectively.
European Council President Donald Tusk thinks it is possible for Georgians to travel without visas to European Union (EU) countries in 2016.
About a hundred members of European Parliament (MEPs) are addressing heads of government of EU member states to support the European perspective of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine at this week’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga, Latvia.
In several hours’ time Georgia will have a clear message of what is ahead for the country’s European perspective once the 4th Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit opens in Riga today.
Join the global conversation about the Eastern Partnership 4th Summit in Riga on Twitter with Agenda.ge’s live Twitter feed.
Below you can see the live Twitter feed with hashtags #RigaSummit, #EaP and #Georgia.
The European Union (EU) is expected to distribute new investments of more than €2 billion (5.3 billion GEL) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Ahead of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit taking place in Riga today and tomorrow, members of the European People's Party (EPP) Group have addressed EU leaders to offer a concrete date for visa facilitation agreements with Ukraine and Georgia.
Latvia supports Georgia’s European integration. This was the message Latvian President Andris Berzins told Georgian Prime Minister Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili today in Riga.
A political decision has been made on the visa free regime between Georgia and the European Union (EU), and only technical procedures need to be finished, said Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga today.
The European migrant crisis will not hamper Georgia’s visa liberalisation pace, says a European Union (EU) envoy in Georgia.
Latvia is supporting Georgia's goal to be granted a visa-free regime with the European Union (EU).
"It can be said with almost 99 percent certainty that a visa free regime will be introduced for Georgia next year,” believes Andrejs Mamikins, the European Parliament’s rapporteur for Georgia.
The European Commission said in its recent report on the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation requirements that Georgia continues to fulfil the benchmarks. The Commission notes in its introduction that this report focuses on specific areas where further action is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the progress achieved; therefore, benchmarks 'with a stable implementation record are not covered'.
The report on the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, which has been approved by the European Parliament with 552 for and 61 against, says that Georgia has remained committed to the implementation of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) and is continuing its alignment with the EU standards,’ which is bringing increasing benefits.’