EU-Armenia Joint Committee on Facilitation of Entry Visas emphasized the importance of launching a dialogue on visa liberalization in a timely manner

ArmInfo. The 5th meeting of  the Joint EU-Visa Facilitation Facilitation Committee was held in  Yerevan on September 13.

According to the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign  Affairs, the meeting was chaired by the head of the Department of  Europe of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Tigran Samvelyan  and Deputy Head of the Department of Visa Policy and Security of  Documents of the Directorate General for Migration and Internal  Affairs of the European Commission, Diaderik Palman.

The parties noted the recorded progress in the process of applying  the Armenia-EU entry visa facilitation agreement. They also discussed  further steps aimed at the full application of the Agreement and  improving the effectiveness of the document.

They also touched on relevant statistics, including a number of  issues regarding the application of the Agreement, in particular, the  existing tasks in the process of applying for and obtaining a visa at  consulates / visa centers of the EU countries.

The importance of the consistent implementation of joint efforts  aimed at stimulating the mobility of citizens, combating irregular  migration and the timely launch of a dialogue around visa  liberalization was emphasized.

An agreement on simplification of visa issuance procedures was signed  in December 2012, and a readmission agreement between Armenia and the  European Union in April 2013. According to the press service of the  EU Council, the agreement will be sent to the European Parliament for  internal procedures and to give a holistic look. When both parties  announce that all internal procedures have been exhausted, on the  last day of the month following the declaration, the agreement will  enter into force, but not earlier than the entry into force of the  readmission agreement. Both agreements must come into force at the  same time. Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark are not part of the  agreement. In accordance with the agreement on simplification of the  visa regime for citizens of Armenia, simplified procedures for  obtaining entry visas to the Schengen zone are provided. This is  implied for a number of categories of citizens of Armenia, in  particular, members of the official delegation, scientists, students,  journalists, sports and culture workers, close relatives of lawfully  residing in the EU countries, participants in events organized by the  structures of the Armenian diaspora operating in the EU, and others.  It is also planned to lower the tariffs for an entry visa to the  Schengen zone to 35 euros. Along with this, this visa will be granted  free of charge to a number of categories of citizens, including  children and pensioners. In addition, this agreement will allow  Armenian citizens to visit EU countries on short-term visas for a  period of 180 days instead of the previous 90. In accordance with the  agreement on simplifying the visa regime for Armenian citizens,  simplified procedures for obtaining entry visas to the Schengen zone  are provided. This is implied for a number of categories of citizens  of Armenia, in particular, members of the official delegation,  scientists, students, journalists, sports and culture workers, close  relatives of lawfully residing in the EU countries, participants in  events organized by the structures of the Armenian diaspora operating  in the EU, and others. It is also planned to lower the tariffs for an  entry visa to the Schengen zone to 35 euros. Along with this, this  visa will be granted free of charge to a number of categories of  citizens, including children and pensioners. In addition, this  agreement will allow Armenian citizens to visit EU countries on  short-term visas for a period of 180 days instead of the previous 90.