The European Commission on behalf the EU started a visa liberalisation dialogue with Georgia that marks an important political milestone in the EU-Georgian relations. With this dialogue, the EU is living up to its commitment to closer cooperation and increased mobility in a secure environment with its Eastern neighbours.

The European Commission started a dialogue on visa liberalisation with Georgia with the aim at evaluating all the relevant conditions for visa-free travel to the EU for Georgian citizens. The visa liberalisation dialogue addresses areas directly related to document security, border management, migration, mobility and asylum, as well as other issues such as the fight against corruption and organised crime, protection of human rights, minorities, and anti-discrimination, which are highly relevant to ensure that mobility takes place in a secure and well-managed environment. Until 14 of September 2011, European Union monitoring mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia) was working in this country.

According to Cecilia Malmström, EU commissioner for Home Affairs, the start of this dialogue recognises the efforts made by Georgia in the different areas relevant for a future visa-free travel to the EU and constitutes a further incentive for Georgia to pursue those reforms. Georgia is one of six countries within the Eastern Partnership established by the EU in May 2009, with the purpose of deepening and strengthening relations between the EU and its neighbouring countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

At the moment, all EU citizens are already exempt from visa requirements when entering Georgia. The Commission highlights that the visa liberalisation dialogue will allow the EU and the Georgian authorities to examine all the technical preconditions for the establishment of a visa-free regime for Georgian citizens.