EU Parliament urges bloc to launch visa-free travel talks with Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ahead of an Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels, the European Parliament is calling on the European Union to launch a dialogue with Armenia over the liberalization of visa regime, RFE/RL’s Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak says.

At a plenary session on Thursday, November 16, the parliament adopted a resolution, stating that significant progress has been made since the summit in Riga two years ago:

“Negotiations with Armenia over the Deep and Comprehensive Partnership Agreement have concluded, which is a successful example of how membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and involvement in the European Neighborhood Programs can be combined.”

“Given the progress, the Members of the European Parliament call for establishing a visa-free regime with Armenia, like it was earlier done with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. The final decision, however, is up to the EU member-states and the European Commission,” Jozwiak says.

“The European parliament is perhaps the EU’s most progressive bodies which is trying to promote some ideas. They are obviously trying to launch a visa liberalization program with Armenia, which is a pretty extensive plan. The Council of Europe, the Commission, and the member-states are discussing the issue but I don’t they will grant Armenia such a privilege at the summit in Brussels.”

Armenia and the EU are expected to sign the Deep and Comprehensive Partnership Agreement in late November in Brussels.