On October 29, under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, Armenia’s government held the first meeting of a working group dedicated to coordinating actions and commitments for visa liberalization with the European Union.
The meeting focused on discussing the key initiatives Armenia must undertake to ease visa restrictions with the EU. At the Deputy Prime Minister’s instruction, the roles of the agencies involved in the working group were clarified, emphasizing the importance of negotiations with the EU set to begin in November 2024.
The primary objective of these negotiations is to outline and develop the framework for an action plan for visa liberalization that the EU will extend to Armenia.
The working group includes representatives from both executive and legislative branches and will operate within the interagency commission overseeing the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Armenia and the EU.
The action plan under development will be a distinct package of reforms anticipated by the agreement, serving primarily as a strategic modernization agenda in areas such as migration, internal security, and border management.
Previously, BMG reported that the official dialogue on visa liberalization with the European Union began in September this year. Achieving this goal requires substantial reforms by Armenian authorities in critical areas.
These requirements include ensuring the security of travel documents, strengthening border control, managing migration and asylum processes, combating corruption, and upholding fundamental rights related to freedom of movement.
According to preliminary estimates, Armenia’s government could fulfill these commitments within two to four years if it proceeds effectively.
