Armenia and EU signed visa facilitation agreement

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and the EU signed visa facilitation agreement in Brussels. On December 17 on behalf of the EU, the agreement was signed by Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus in his capacity as President of the Council of the European Union, and by Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner with responsibility for Home Affairs. For Armenia, Edward Nalbandyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed the agreement. The Press Service of the Council of the European Union informed "Armenpress" that the agreement will now be sent to the European Parliament with a view to obtaining its consent before it can be concluded. It will enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which the two parties notify each other that the internal procedures have been completed, but not before the entry into force of the EU-Armenia readmission agreement. The two agreements shall enter into force together. The UK, Ireland and Denmark are not bound by the agreement.

The agreement makes it 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. A short-stay visa is a visa for an intended stay of no more than 90 days per period of 180 days.

The aforesaid agreements will enter the stage of ratification in the first part of 2013. The Agreement on visa regime facilitation with EU considers the facilitation of getting entrance visa to the Schengen Area countries for the citizens of the Republic of Armenia. Visa regime facilitation comprises certain groups of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia. Particularly among them are members of official delegations, scientists, students, journalists, athletes and artists etc. Also the sides are considering reduction of the visa price to EURO 35.

The negotiations regarding visa regime facilitation launched in Yerevan in February, 2012.