Opinions on the visa liberalization process with the EU are generally divided into two opposing poles. The first group of people approaches this process with skepticism, doubting its progress, outcomes, and future developments. In contrast, the second group is convinced that the EU will expedite the matter, ultimately leading to the opening of borders. Although these two perspectives are fundamentally opposed, they share one common trait—imaginary perceptions regarding Armenia-EU relations.
The visa liberalization process is not even the first such case for Armenia in the region. As demonstrated by the examples of other countries, including Georgia, once an agreement on liberalization is secured, the only remaining step is the technical implementation of the assigned tasks within a reasonable timeframe, which inevitably leads to the expected outcome. In other words, if EU member states have already agreed to initiate negotiations, the political component can no longer serve as an obstacle. The only remaining requirement for finalizing visa liberalization is resolving technical issues. These issues primarily concern EU security and the management of passenger flows from Armenia to EU countries. The key question is how these issues can be effectively addressed.
The challenges can be categorized into three main groups: legislative, procedural, and capacity-related.
Legislative challenges pertain to the current state of Armenia’s legal framework, particularly in areas such as border control, citizenship acquisition, and related domains. Addressing these issues requires legislative amendments, which can be implemented within relatively short timeframes. However, it is crucial that the introduction of these changes be carried out on a professional basis to avoid the public disagreements and political manipulations that have seemingly become a tradition. A relevant example is the issue of universal health insurance, which not only necessitates a well-structured legislative framework but also requires measures to prevent interpretative ambiguities in its application, anticipate potential obstacles during implementation, and develop mechanisms to mitigate any negative consequences.
It is also essential to consider alternative solutions to this challenge. For instance, in Georgia, universal health insurance covers only a limited range of services for socially vulnerable groups, while for others, it reimburses merely 30% of their medical expenses.
Procedural challenges are primarily related to coordinating efforts with EU representatives, mapping out processes, defining timeframes, and ultimately capitalizing on the outcomes of the work. In this regard, visits by EU expert groups specializing in various fields are of great importance, as they facilitate the planning and subsequent accelerated implementation of necessary measures in a collaborative environment.
It is worth emphasizing that visits by different EU expert groups are already taking place. For instance, at the end of January, Armenia hosted a delegation led by Hubert Duhaut, Deputy Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission. Furthermore, in the second half of February, Armenia welcomed a delegation comprising representatives from the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, the European External Action Service, and FRONTEX. In both cases, discussions with Armenian officials were centered on the implementation of the visa liberalization process.
Among the key procedural challenges is also the issuance of biometric passports to Armenian citizens. The most complex aspect of this process lies in resolving technical issues.
The third category of challenges, which stands out as the most time-consuming and labor-intensive, concerns the strengthening of institutional capacities within the relevant services. Ensuring efficiency in this area can be achieved through the support of external partners. Specifically, in the context of bolstering border service capacities, the Strategic Cooperation Framework signed between Armenia and the United States on January 14, 2025, could prove highly beneficial, as the U.S. has committed to contributing to the enhancement of Armenia’s border guard service effectiveness. Additionally, the involvement of other international partners in the reform process of specific service functions is also noteworthy.
Taking into account the experiences of other countries and adapting them to Armenia’s context, it can be reasonably predicted that a timeframe of four to five years is a rational period for completing the visa liberalization process. Consequently, the Armenian authorities’ ability to consolidate efforts within the relevant sectors and adopt a responsible approach to their tasks will be decisive factors. If these steps are properly implemented, no obstacle in the Armenia-EU visa liberalization process should prove insurmountable.
Robert Ghevondyan
