Today in Brussels, the EU and Armenia signed a visa facilitation agreement. The agreement makes easier and cheaper for citizens of Armenia, in particular those who travel most, to acquire short-stay visas allowing them to travel to and freely throughout the EU.
As reported by Asbarez, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, his Cypriot counterpart Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom signed the agreement in Brussels during a session of the EU-Armenia Cooperation Council.
The agreement is meant to give Armenian nationals access to the so-called Schengen zone encompassing much of Europe with fewer documents and at a lower cost. Also, some categories of travelers such as university students, academics and state officials will now be eligible for long-term and multiple-entry Schengen visas.
The deal was initialed in Brussels two months ago shortly after Yerevan unilaterally lifted its visa requirements for EU nationals. Starting from next year, they will be allowed to stay in Armenia visa-free for up to 90 days.
The EU’s Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Fule, who chaired the Cooperation Council meeting together with Nalbandian and Kozakou-Marcoullis, described the document as a “visible and tangible result of our close partnership.” Nalbandian, for his part, called its signing “an important step.”
Fule said the EU’s ongoing association talks with the Armenian government “have progressed well” this year. “For a successful outcome which allows EU-Armenia relations to reach their full potential, we will need sustained reform efforts next year,” he said, singling out the proper conduct of a presidential election slated for next February.
“We welcome Armenia’s efforts in the area of good governance and human rights. Important challenges remain, including ensuring independence of the judiciary and pursuing systemic anti-corruption measures,” Fule told a joint news conference with the Armenian and Cypriot ministers.
