Press Release: Commissioner Malmström presents Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation with Georgia

On 25 February 2013 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Commissioner Malmström handed the Action Plan for Visa Liberalisation over to Georgia's authorities. The presentation of the Action Plan represents a further step towards full visa liberalisation. It clearly sets out all technical conditions to be met by Georgia before the possible establishment of a visa-free travel regime.

The action plan is structured in four blocks of measures dealing respectively with document security, border and migration management, public order and security, and relevant external relations issues.

It contains a first set of benchmarks concerning the policy framework (legislation and planning) and a second set of more specific benchmarks, covering effective and sustainable implementation of relevant measures including concrete results on the ground.

Georgian authorities are encouraged to continue working hand in hand to pursue the necessary reforms in all the areas relevant for the visa liberalisation dialogue, including: fight against corruption and organised crime, data protection, anti-discrimination and protection of minorities, as well as judicial reform aiming at ensuring the independence of the justice system.

The European Commission will regularly assess the effective and consistent fulfilment and implementation by Georgia of each set of benchmarks.

http://www.euractiv.com/europes-east/visa-free-travel-eus-east-fronti-linksdossier-512534 http://www.euractiv.com/europes-east/visa-free-travel-eus-east-fronti-linksdossier-512534

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