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 […]
Parliament calls for new elections in Georgia
Due to significant irregularities, MEPs reject the outcome of the recent parliamentary elections in Georgia and call for them to be re-run within a year. On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the 26 October parliamentary elections in Georgia, an EU candidate country, for being neither free nor fair, representing yet another manifestation […]
Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell with the European Commission on the adoption of the “transparency of foreign influence” law in Georgia
The EU stands with the Georgian people and their choice in favour of democracy and of Georgia’s European future. The intimidation, threats and physical assaults on civil society representatives, political leaders and journalists, as well as their families is unacceptable. We call on the Georgian authorities to investigate these documented acts. The European Council granted Georgia the status of […]
Eurojust: Criminal network that stole 170 historical books worth 2.5 million euros across Europe dismantled
Eurojust and Europol have supported the competent authorities in Lithuania, France, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland and Georgia in an international operation against an organised crime group (OCG) that allegedly stole 170 books of high historical and cultural value across several European countries. The stolen books have an estimated value of EUR 2.5 million and were written […]
Immigration law enforcement in the EU: 2023 figures
In 2023, 118 935 non-EU citizens were refused entry into the EU territory at one of its external borders, a 16% decrease compared with 142 420 in the previous year. An additional 1.27 million people were found to be illegally present in one of the EU countries, indicating a 13% increase compared with 1.12 million in 2022. This information […]
European Parliament adopted three resolutions on human rights issues in Iran, Niger and Georgia
On last Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions on human rights issues in Iran, Niger and Georgia. The human rights situation in Iran, in particular the latest attacks against women, women’s rights defenders, and the arbitrary detention of EU nationals Parliament strongly condemns the deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran, and the […]
EU foreign ministers agree to suspend visa facilitation agreement
On 30 and 31 August 2022, Prague hosted an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers known as a Gymnich. The ministers primarily discussed two topics, namely the EU’s relations with Africa and the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The main outcome of the meeting was agreement among the Member States to suspend the visa facilitation agreement. […]
EU leaders to discuss EU enlargement, Ukraine and the economic situation
European Council, 23-24 June 2022 The European Council will discuss the wider Europe, Ukraine, EU membership applications from Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, economic issues, the Conference on the Future of Europe and external relations. Ahead of the European Council meeting EU and Western Balkan leaders will meet in the morning of 23 […]
Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia’s perspective to become members of the EU
Today, the European Commission presented its Opinions on the application for EU membership submitted by Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova as invited by the Council. Today’s Opinions are based on the Commission’s assessment in light of the three sets of criteria to join the EU agreed by the European Council: political criteria, economic […]