Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Armenia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas

In the context of the Eastern Partnership Summit Declaration of 7 May 2009, the EU and the partner countries stated their political support towards liberalisation of the visa regime in a secure environment and reaffirmed their intention to take gradual steps towards a visa free regime for their citizens in due course.

On that basis and as a first concrete step forward, the Commission presented on 16 September 2011 a recommendation to the Council in order to authorise the Commission to open negotiations with the Republic of Armenia on a Visa Facilitation Agreement.

Following the authorisation given by the Council on 19 December 2011, the negotiations with the Republic of Armenia on a Visa Facilitation Agreement were opened in Yerevan on 27 February 2012. Two further rounds of negotiations took place on 24 April 2012 in Brussels and on 28 June 2012 in Yerevan. The final text of the Agreement was initialled in Brussels on 18 October 2012 by the chief negotiators.

By Government decision adopted on 4 October 2012, Armenia decided to exempt all EU Citizens, as well as those from the Schengen associated countries, from the visa obligation as from 10 January 2013.

Member States have been regularly informed and consulted in the relevant Council Working Groups at all stages of the negotiations.

On the part of the Union, the legal basis for the Agreement is Article 77(2)(a), in conjunction with Article 218 of the TFEU.

The Commission signed the Agreement on ... In accordance with Art. 218(6)(a) of the TFEU the European Parliament's consent for the conclusion of the Agreement was given on…

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)707: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:707:FIN

ESO: Background information: Proposal for a Council Decision on the signature of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas http://www.europeansources.info/record/proposal-for-a-council-decision-on-the-signature-of-the-agreement-between-the-european-union-and-the-republic-of-armenia-on-the-facilitation-of-the-issuance-of-visas/

---