The visa dialogue is part of the broader framework of EU-Armenia relations, which has seen significant progress since the signing of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2017.
The dialogue will sustain ongoing efforts to support Armenia's comprehensive reform agenda, particularly in areas which are crucial for future visa-free travel to the EU, such as document security, border and migration management, the fight against corruption and organised crime as well as upholding fundamental rights.
The dialogue builds on the successful implementation of the EU-Armenia Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements, which have simplified travel procedures for many Armenian citizens since 1 January 2014. Currently, all EU citizens are exempt from visa requirement when entering Armenia.
Next steps
The European Commission and the Government of Armenia will work closely to ensure that the dialogue is conducted efficiently and effectively. The process is merit-based, it will last as long as it is necessary and there will be no automatic transition to visa-free travel. All benchmarks must be fully met before the final decision on visa liberalisation is taken by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament. The process will require close cooperation with EU Member States to monitor progress and developments rigorously.
Background
The launch of the visa liberalisation dialogue follows several initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation with Armenia, in line with the mandate of the European Council of October 2023 tasked to the High Representative and the European Commission to present options to strengthen EU-Armenia relations. This step is also considered in the Joint Declaration of the sixth Eastern Partnership Summit in December 2021.
In April 2024 the European Commission put forward a EUR 270 million Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia for the period 2024-2027. The Plan will aim at building up Armenia's socio-economic resilience.
The Visa Facilitation Agreement, which entered into force on 1 January 2014, reduces visa fees for Armenian citizens and waives fees for certain categories of applicants.
On 22 July 2024, the Foreign Affairs Council welcomed “the intention of the Commission to launch a visa liberalisation dialogue with Armenia”.