European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs: Members vote in favour of Georgia’s visa-free travel to the EU

About 150 officials from all over the European Union (EU) involved in European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) have voted in favour of Georgia gaining visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone.

A vote was held this morning by the AFET, which comprised of 71 members and 70 substitutes from all over the EU, and the results of the vote supported Georgia’s visa-free ambitions, announced Georgia’s Ambassador to the EU Natalia Sabanadze.

Now results of the vote will be sent to the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) as a recommendation regarding Georgia’s bid for visa-free travel. The LIBE plays a leading role in visa liberalisation-related issues. 

Through positive voting, the Foreign Affairs Committee has recommended to the LIBE to support Georgia’s visa liberalisation and timely bring this process to an end,” Sabanadze said today. 

A hearing about Georgia’s visa-free travel has already been held within the LIBE, on July 4, where all reporters were positive about Georgia’s visa-free travel to the EU. The final date of discussions about Georgia in the LIBE is July 14, and after this another vote will take place,” Sabanadze said.  

Three days ago European Parliamentarian Maria Gabriel, who is a rapporteur of Georgia’s visa liberalistaion, presented her report before the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee and appealed to European lawmakers to support Georgia’s visa liberalisation intentions. 

In December last year the European Commission released a positive report about Georgia and stressed the country had met all the demands drafted within the Georgia-EU Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP). 

After positive assessments from the European Commission, Georgia required final consent from the European Parliament and the Council of Europe (CoE) about visa-free travel for its citizens.

While visiting Georgia at the beginning of the month, Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Georgia could expect to receive visa liberalisation in late September.