Armenia and the European Union will start negotiations on a Visa Facilitation Agreement and a Readmission Agreement in Yerevan, February 27.

In September 2011, the European Commission proposed opening negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Armenia. After all requirements for visa facilitation are in place, such a regime will be feasible. Once negotiated, the agreements on visa facilitation and readmission can only enter into force simultaneously. 

The EU has already launched a Mobility Partnership withArmeniain October 2011. Ten EU Member States (Belgium,Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France,Germany, Italy, the Netherlands,Poland,Romania andSweden) participate. This is a flexible and non-legally binding framework for well-managed movements of people, and is expected to enhance Armenia’s ability to manage migration and inform, integrate and protect migrants and returnees, as well as boostArmenia's capacity to curb irregular migration and human trafficking. 

The EU's visa policy is aimed at achieving a proper balance between internal security and external stabilisation, acceptable to all sides. One of the EU’s foreign policy instruments for achieving this aim are the visa facilitation and readmission agreements. So far, the EU has concluded visa facilitation agreements with nine non-EU countries, three of which are our Eastern partners Georgia,UkraineandMoldova. Based on these agreements, both EU and non-EU citizens benefit from facilitated procedures for issuing visas.

Background information

Visa facilitation does not mean visa liberalization. The conclusion of the visa facilitation agreement would not lead to an immediate visa-free travel. Nevertheless, it is an important and necessary step within the process that can lead Armenia to visa liberalisation.

Why is this prospect important?

On the one hand, because facilitating people-to-people contacts betweenArmeniaand the EU will increase mutual understanding and improve our relations in all fields. On the other hand, the successful completion of negotiations would also highlight that both sides are committed to working together on tackling common challenges such as illegal migration. But there is more. Fostering mobility and people-to-people contacts are fundamental for promoting social and economic development. It is expected that a facilitated visa regime will greatly support the development impact of migration over the country’s economy and will allow for return of skills as well as experience exchange betweenArmeniaand EU Member States. 

What do these agreements mean?

The agreements will be based on reciprocity and provide visa facilitation for Armenian citizens. The list of suggested visa facilitations include the simplification of documentary evidence in support of the visa application, the possibility of issuing multiple-entry visas with a long period of validity, the waiving/reducing of the handling fees for specific categories of travellers, set deadlines for processing visa applications, as well as a possible exemption from the visa obligation for holders of diplomatic passports. At the same time, the agreements will combine the easing of visa requirements for travellers fromArmeniawith agreed mechanisms for the readmission of irregular migrants. The negotiation of readmission agreements will provide for the return of nationals staying without authorisation on the territory of the EU orArmenia.