First EU expert mission is in Armenia to discuss visa liberalization

YEREVAN, February 11. /ARKA/. The first mission of the European Union experts who are to assist Armenian authorities to elaborate the Armenia-EU Visa Liberalization Action Plan has arrived in Yerevan.

On February 10, the members of the mission were received by Deputy Interior Minister Armen Ghazaryan, the press service of the Interior Ministry reported.

Ghazaryan was said to speak about a number of key topics in the visa liberalization process, particularly the current migration situation, introduction of new biometric documents, citizenship issues, migration and asylum management, as well as digitalization processes.

The deputy minister said as a result of close cooperation with the EU, significant progress has been recorded in a number of directions within the competence of the Interior Ministry, in particular, in the fields of migration and citizenship, as well as in the Police.

During the meeting, the questions of the EU mission representatives were fully answered.

According to the report, the experts of the EU mission will analyze the current situation and tasks of Armenia till February 14, to help work out the list of requirements necessary for the liberalization of the EU visa regime for the citizens of Armenia.

The EU-Armenia visa liberalization dialogue was officially launched in September 2024 and a new comprehensive document called “New Partnership Agenda” is being drafted.

At the end of December 2025, an official start was given to the operational stage of the Armenia-EU dialogue on visa liberalization. The emphasis is on such areas as public security, biometric systems, protection of personal data, fight against organized crime and other areas. -0-