EU en Georgië ondertekenen visa-overeenkomst (en)

The European Union (EU) and Georgia today signed an agreement to facilitate the issuing of visas which, from now on will be cheaper and easier for people from Georgia who wish to travel to EU territory, particularly for business or studies.

Following the signing ceremony, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, acting on behalf of the EU, stated that in spite of the "tremendously difficult" situation that Georgia has had to face in recent years, "its future lies in Europe".

The Georgian Minister, Grigol Vashdze, described today as "historic" for the citizens of his country. Vashdze thanked Moratinos for the work of the Spanish Presidency in concluding the liberalisation of visas, since the agreement was reached during the six months of the Spanish presidency.

The agreement makes obtaining a visa to enter the EU substantially easier for certain groups such as students, businessmen or scientists.

Procedures to liberalise visas began in June 2008 for Georgia, which now joins the other five Eastern European countries that have signed association agreements with the EU (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldavia and Ukraine).

Since 2006, the EU has also reached visa liberalisation agreements with Russia, Ukraine, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and the Republic of Moldavia.