EU institutions reach informal agreement on proposal on visa liberalisation for Georgia

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union reached an informal agreement on 13 December 2016 regarding a draft proposal which gives Georgian citizens the right to travel to the Schengen area without a visa.

Members states had linked this proposal with reaching an agreement on another which strengthens the visa suspension mechanism. The agreement on visa liberalisation still needed to be formally endorsed by both institutions.

The proposal was adopted by the European Commission in March 2016. The Parliament approved its negotiating position in September, while the Council agreed on its general approach in October.

• Primary Source

Agenda.ge, 14.12.16: Political agreement on Georgia’s visa waiver reached: What’s next? http://agenda.ge/news/71768/eng

Sputnik International, 13.12.16: EU Council, Parliament Reach Agreement on Visa-Free Regime for Georgia http://sptnkne.ws/cYbx

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