Armenia and EU to sign visa agreement in December and ratify it before the middle of 2013

YEREVAN, November 12. / ARKA /. Armenia and the European Union are expected to sign a visa agreement in December 2012, which will be ratified before the middle of 2013, Mher Margaryan, head of an Armenian foreign ministry department in charge of relations with EU, said today. 

The visa accord is meant to give Armenian travelers access to the so-called Schengen zone embracing much of Europe with fewer documents and at a lower cost. Also, some categories of the population such as university students, academics and state officials would be eligible for long-term and multiple-entry Schengen visas.

Speaking at a seminar on facilitation of visa regime with EU, Margaryan said  the sides will sign also a separate “readmission” agreement in Brussels, which will obligate Yerevan to help EU immigration authorities quickly expedite the repatriation of Armenian illegal immigrants.

Margarysan said the cost of obtaining a visa for Armenian citizens will be lowered to 35 euros, while for, children under 12 and pensioners the procedure will be free. He said the government expects that simplification of the visa regime will promote enhanced interpersonal relations between the peoples of Armenia and EU and give a boost to economic, scientific, educational and cultural relations.

The head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Traian Hristea, praised cooperation between Armenia and the EU.

"The EU and Armenia have made substantial progress on visa facilitation and readmission agreements. In our view, this progress will ensure availability of visas and definitely improve cooperation between the EU and Armenia, «he said.

He also noted that the presidential elections in Armenia will have no effect on this process, because the agreement is a legal process, and has nothing to do with politics, including the presidential election.

Stefano Manservisi, head of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Home Affairs, and Avet Adonts, the Armenian ambassador to the EU, initialed on October 18 both agreements in Brussels. 

Visa facilitation will be a key element of an “association agreement” between the EU and Armenia, which is being negotiated by the two sides as part of the EU’s Eastern Partnership program. Another crucial component of that far-reaching agreement is the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). Yerevan’s separate talks with Brussels on the DCFTA began in June.-0-