Georgia: Council suspends visa-free travel for diplomats and officials

Today, the Council decided to suspend parts of the EU-Georgia visa facilitation agreement. This may lead to Georgian diplomats and officials having to apply for visa when travelling to the EU.

 

“Fundamental rights and democratic values are core principles of EU integration. Officials that represent a country which trample down these values should not benefit from easier access to the EU.”

Tomasz Siemoniak, Polish Minister of the Interior and Administration

For travels to a member state which has reintroduced visa requirements, Georgian diplomats and officials will also no longer benefit from shorter application times, lower visa fees, and the possibility to submit fewer supporting documents.

Democratic backsliding and repression

The decision is a reaction to the adoption last year by Georgia of a ‘Law on transparency of foreign influence’ and a legislative package on ‘family values and protection of minors’. The EU considers that these legislations undermine the fundamental rights of the Georgian people, including the freedom of association and expression, the right to privacy, the right to participate in public affairs, and increases stigmatisation and discrimination.

The actions taken by Georgia breach the fundamental principles on which the facilitation agreement was concluded and go against the interests of the EU and its member states.

The proposal is also a response to violent repression by the Georgian authorities against peaceful protesters, politicians and independent media, which started after the government announced on 28 November 2024 to no longer pursue the opening of negotiations with the EU until 2028.

Affected persons

The visa facilitation agreement will be suspended for the following categories:

• members of Georgia’s official delegations who participate in official meetings and other events held in the territory of an EU country by intergovernmental organisations
• members of Georgia’s national and regional Governments and Parliaments, Georgia’s Constitutional Court and Supreme Court
• holders of diplomatic passports

Georgian nationals who are holders of ordinary passports will continue to benefit from the visa exemption when travelling to the EU for short stays.

Background

The agreement between the EU and Georgia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas entered into force on 1 March 2011. It intended to smoothen the issuance of visas to Georgian citizens for stays in the EU of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

The agreement contains a clause that allows each party to “suspend in whole or in part this agreement for reasons of public order, protection of national security or protection of public health”.

On 1 March 2017 the Council and the European Parliament adopted a regulation to wholly exempt Georgian nationals from the requirement to be in possession of a visa when travelling to the EU.

Next steps

Once the partial suspension enters into force – and because Georgian citizens are exempted from the visa requirement – member states can decide to adopt national measures to apply the visa requirement for holders of diplomatic, service/official passports and special passports.

 

More information: Council of the European Union.