Brussels, 23 July 2024
Following the EU Foreign Affairs Council, the EU Commission launches a dialogue with Armenia on the liberalization of the visa regime. This process will help Armenia in its long-term goal of achieving a visa-free regime with the EU.
This dialogue will lead to reforms in important areas, including travel document security, border management, migration and asylum, public order, external relations and fundamental rights issues in Armenia. The Commission will rigorously monitor progress in these areas, in close collaboration with the European Parliament and the Council. The dialogue will be carried out within the framework of an action plan for visa liberalization which will be presented to the Armenian authorities following discussions in the Council. Visa liberalization is not an automatic process. It will only be taken into consideration once the dialogue has been completed and all conditions listed in the action plan have been met. Once the dialogue is concluded, it will be easier and cheaper for Armenian citizens to travel to Europe for short-term stays (less than 90 days in any 180-day period). Armenian citizens are already enjoying the benefits of a visa facilitation agreement with the EU since January 1, 2014.
The launch of the visa liberalization dialogue follows several initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation with Armenia under the EU Eastern Partnership, including the 2021 Eastern Partnership Summit, which considered the possibility of launching new dialogues on visa liberalization, once the conditions are met. The Eastern Partnership was established in 2009 to strengthen relations with neighboring countries. The EU and Armenia are advancing an ambitious new partnership agenda, following the meeting on 5 April 2024 between President von der Leyen, High Representative Josep Borrell and Prime Minister Pashinyan.