EU Visa Suspension Mechanism report: significant challenges persist, including in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine

On 19 December, the European Commission adopted its eighth report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism, monitoring the EU’s visa-free regimes. While most partner countries have taken steps to address the recommendations issued under previous Visa Suspension Mechanism reports, significant challenges persist, including in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

“Visa-free travel eases mobility and people-to-people contacts, boosts the travel and tourism sectors and promotes cultural and academic exchanges,” the European Commission said in its report. “It can also foster diplomatic relations and international cooperation. Nevertheless, when misused, it can also pose significant migration and security challenges, which need to be addressed.” 

The report covers developments related to visa policy alignment, migration (including border management and readmission), security and citizenship in Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries. It includes specific recommendations for each country.

Georgia

The report says that Georgia did not inform the European Commission about any meaningful progress in addressing its recommendations from the previous report. In most areas, no corrective measures were reported and in several others the situation has further deteriorated.

The Commission came to the conclusion that Georgia has regressed significantly on key governance and rule-of-law benchmarks that formed the basis for the granting of visa-free travel. Similarly, Georgia regressed also in the domains of visa-alignment and the fight against corruption.

“This situation constitutes a clear case of backtracking on commitments made under the visa liberalisation process and undermines the mutual trust on which the visa-free regime is based,” the report says. “Given the systemic and deliberate nature of this backsliding, the Commission will consider appropriate measures under the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism.” 

According to the new rules, in the first phase, the visa suspension could target holders of diplomatic, service and official passports issued by the Georgian authorities, who are primarily responsible for not taking action to address the Commission’s recommendations. 

In the second stage, the suspension could be extended to the entire population

if issues are not addressed by the Georgian authorities. Ultimately, Georgia could lose its visa free status entirely and be transferred to Annex I of the Visa Regulation (visa-required third countries list).

Georgia is also required to terminate immediately the practice of allowing visa-free entry to

nationals of 17 countries that are visa-required both in the EU and in Georgia, on the basis of a visa or residence permit issued by one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Moldova

The report says Moldova has taken steps to address the Commission’s previous recommendations. 

However, further progress is required, particularly in the following areas:

• Alignment of visa policy: Moldova must align its visa policy with the EU list of visa-required countries, in particular with regard to countries presenting illegal migration or security risks to the EU. Pending full alignment, Moldova should continue and strengthen the rigorous screening of visa-exempt third-country nationals, especially those originating from high-risk countries.
• Unfounded asylum applications: Moldova must intensify efforts to address the continued occurrence of unfounded asylum applications by Moldovan nationals in EU Member States. This could include targeted information campaigns tailored to relevant migrant profiles, as well as the introduction of border exit checks to improve tracking and deterrence.

Ukraine

Overall, Ukraine continues to meet the requirements of the visa liberalisation framework and has taken steps to address several of the Commission’s previous recommendations, the report says.

Nonetheless, further efforts are needed, where feasible given the ongoing war-related challenges, in particular, the following:

• Visa policy alignment: Ukraine must align its visa policy with the EU list of visa-required third countries, with a particular focus on countries whose nationals present illegal migration or security risks to the EU. 
• Document security: Ukraine is encouraged to make greater efforts to address the issue of use of fraudulent documents, including but not limited to passports.
• Anti-corruption efforts: Ukraine is encouraged to continue strengthening its anti-corruption framework by further developing a credible and consistent track record of investigations, prosecutions, and convictions in corruption-related cases.

The European Commission will continue monitoring the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation requirements and recommendations by partner countries and will continue to report to the European Parliament and the Council once a year.

The EU currently has a visa-free regime with 64 non-EU countries and territories. Under this visa-free regime, non-EU citizens can enter the Schengen area for 90 days, within 180 days, without a visa.

Find out more

Press release

Eighth report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism