Brussels, 09/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission proposed on Wednesday 9 March that visa requirements for Georgian nationals making short stays in the EU (up to 90 days in a maximum 180-day period) be lifted.
“Today's proposal recognises the efforts of the Georgian authorities to carry out far-reaching and difficult reforms with a significant impact on the rule of law and the justice system”, said Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos in a press release.
Once the European Parliament and the Council have adopted the proposal, Georgian nationals in possession of a biometric passport will no longer be required to hold a visa when travelling for up to 90 days to the Schengen area. The visa-free regime will apply in all member states, with the exceptions of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the four Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). The visa exemption does not provide for the right to work in the EU.
In December, the Commission delivered a positive assessment, confirming that Georgia successfully met all the benchmarks under the visa liberalisation action plan (see EUROPE 11457). Ukraine, too, received a positive assessment but not Kosovo. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)