EU recognises Georgia’s Association progress

European Union (EU) top officials have recognised the progress Georgia has made to implement its Association Agreement (AA) and towards visa liberalisation.

Officials from the EU and Georgia took part in the second Association Council meeting in Brussels yesterday and discussed Georgia’s European future. The Association is the highest formal body established under the EU-Georgia AA to supervise the implementation of the agreement.

Firstly, the Association Council welcomed Georgia’s progress made towards visa liberalisation and noted the majority of benchmarks had been fulfilled, while the remaining obligations were currently being addressed.

"As I said in Tbilisi last week, I cannot anticipate the decision that will be made but I see very positive signs of the [visa liberalisation] process in front of us,” said Vice President of the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

Mogherini offered her praise for Georgia while speaking at a joint press briefing alongside Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn after the Association Council meeting.

#EU-#Georgia Association Council."Welcome good start of #DCFTA implementation+ progress tow. #visa liberalisation." pic.twitter.com/O8UAwHpyuN

— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) November 16, 2015

The final decision regarding Georgia’s visa liberalisation will be made by the European Commission after the upcoming Commission Progress Report is issued on December 15.

Secondly, the Association Council positively assessed the significant progress in EU-Georgia relations since the last Council meeting in November 2014. Both sides reaffirmed their continuing commitment to Georgia's political association and economic integration with the EU and acknowledged Georgia's European aspirations, its European choice and the common objective to promote building a democratic, stable and prosperous country.

"I think we can look back with satisfaction at the great deal of progress we both – the EU and Georgia – have achieved,” Commissioner Hahn said after the meeting.

"We recognise Georgia’s reform efforts and its European aspiration. We congratulate Georgia on the good efforts already made for approximation of the Georgian national law to the European Union standards,” he added.

The EU and Georgian sides agreed on the need to maintain democratic momentum in light of the October 2016 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia. The EU called on all political actors in Georgia to guarantee a free and pluralistic media environment, as well as political pluralism as a prerequisite for the conduct of democratic elections while refraining from any steps or statements that could increase tension and foster polarisation.

The EU officials reaffirmed their commitment to continue to assist Georgia in its efforts to reform the judiciary and strengthen the rule of law. The EU particularly stressed the importance of ensuring criminal investigations and prosecutions were independent, evidence-based, transparent, impartial, and adhered strictly to the principles of due process, in line with the commitments undertaken in the AA.

PM Garibashvili said Georgia had registered "important achievements” in areas such as consolidation of democracy, strengthening of independence of judiciary and rule of law, fighting against corruption and protection of human rights.

"Yet we are determined to deliver more on bringing Georgia in line with the European standards,” Garibashvili said.

He added his Government "has spared no efforts and resources to fulfill all benchmarks” of the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan.

"We truly hope that our accomplishments will be duly evaluated and consequently will lead to positive decision on the EU’s part to introduce visa free travel for Georgia’s citizens. We think that such a decision will demonstrate to the people of Georgia that the European choice delivers concrete results.”

Association Council assessed #Georgia as one of the front-runners of #EA. #AA#EU@EUCouncil@FedericaMog@JHahnEUhttps://t.co/QQir7aebcP

— Irakli Garibashvili (@PrimeMinisterGE) November 17, 2015

The EU and Georgia issued a joint statement after the Association Council meeting and press conference, in which the EU said it welcomed the substantial EU assistance provided to Georgia. The assistance has significantly increased in the period 2014-2017, with an annual average of €100 million available to support the ambitious political, judicial and economic reforms envisaged in the AA and the Association Agenda.

The EU also expressed appreciation for Georgia's contribution to EU-led crisis management operations and missions in the Central African Republic and the Republic of Mali, as well as the recent contribution to the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine.

More details of the second EU-Georgia Association Council meeting can be found here.