Major Treaties and Agreements Between the EU and South Caucasus Countries

Document legend:
Important treaties
Shared treaties between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
Additional information

EU and Armenia:

• The EU recognized Armenia on 31 December 1991.
• EU-Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). Signed on 22 April 1996, in force from 1 July 1999 to 28 February 2021.
  Now replaced by CEPA, PCA was the legal framework for EU-Armenia bilateral relations. It promoted democratic reforms and a free market economy.
• European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). Admission on 14 June 2004.
  Foreign policy framework. ENP Action Plan for Armenia adopted on 14 November 2006 to outline a framework for strengthening cooperation and standardization.
• EU Generalized system of preferences Plus (GSP+). Signed in 2008, in force from 1 January 2009 to 1 January 2022.
  Lower tariffs for goods imported by Armenia from EU countries.
  GSP+ implements lower tariffs for countries respecting human and labor rights, environment and good governance. Armenia was classified as an upper-middle-income country by The World Bank and couldn’t be a beneficiary of GSP policies.
• EU-Armenia Human Rights Dialogue (HDR). First edition on 1 April 2009, held annually.
• Eastern Partnership Initiative (EaP). Signed on 7 May 2009.
  Cooperation between EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to facilitate integration within the EU by legal standardization. It promotes integration within the EU in the political, economic and social dimensions.
• Observer status in the EU Energy Community for Southeast Europe (ECSEE). Signed in October 2011, in force since 1 January 2012.
  It allows to follow policymaking in the organization and to seek full-fledged membership. ECSEE aims to extend the EU internal energy market.
• EU-Armenia Agreement on the Facilitation of the Issuance of Visas. Signed on 17 December 2012, in force since 1 January 2014. Also led to the signing of a Readmission agreement in 2014.
• Association Agreement negotiations (SUSPENDED) with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). 2013. Suspended after Armenia joined the EAEU.
• EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Signed on 24 November 2017 and in force since 1 March 2021.
  It’s an enhanced PCA, replacing the 1996 PCA, with long-term goals for strengthening EU-Armenia relations in the political, trade and economic areas. Ongoing implementation programs include EU4Environment, EU4Climate, EU4Digital, etc.
• EU-Armenia Common Aviation Area Agreement. Signed on 28 June 2021. Provisionally in force since November 2021.Aims to gradually open the market for direct flights from the EU to Armenia; provides a regulatory framework for Armenian law to gradually align with aviation issues currently faced.
• EU Monitoring Capacity to Armenia (EUMCAP). Signed on 6 October 2022, operational from 20 October 2022 to 19 December 2022.
  Contributing to the border commissions’ work on the international border of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Replaced by the EU Planning Assistance Team (EUPAT) until 23 January 2023, when it was superseded by the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA). EUPAT planned the deployment of a civilian Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) with the EUMA.
• Visa Liberalization Dialogue. Announced on the 9th of September 2024. Part of the broader CEPA and building on the successful implementation of the EU-Armenia Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements (since 1st January 2014). Aims to support Armenia in achieving a visa-free regime for short stays in the EU.

EU and Azerbaijan:

• The EU recognized Azerbaijan on 31 December 1991.
• EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). Signed on 22 April 1996, in force since 1 July 1999.
  Main framework for cooperation regarding political, trade and economic areas.
• European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). Admission on 14 June 2004.
  Foreign policy framework. ENP Action Plan Azerbaijan adopted on 14 November 2006 to outline a five-year framework for strengthening cooperation.
• EU-Azerbaijan MoU on a strategic partnership in the field of energy. Signed on 7 November 2006.
  Plans to diversify EU’s energy sources and to enhance its security by increasing Azerbaijan’s gas exports to the EU. After the beginning of the war in Ukraine, it was renewed on 18 July 2022 to lessen the reliance on Russian supply.
• Eastern Partnership Initiative (EaP). Signed on 7 May 2009.
  Cooperation between EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to integrate more in the EU by legal standardization. It promotes integration within the EU in the political, economic and social fields.
• EU-Azerbaijan Visa Facilitation Agreement. Signed on 29 November 2013, in force 1 September 2014.
  Cheaper visa acquisition.
• Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the field of Green Energy Development and Transmissions. Signed on 17 December 2022.
  Includes Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania, Hungary and EU to enhance investment in green energy sources and to secure EU supplies.
• ONGOING – EU-Azerbaijan Comprehensive Agreement. Negotiations began in 2017. Aims to update the 1996 PCA.

EU and Georgia:

• The EU recognized Georgia on 23 March 1992.
• EU Generalized system of preferences (GSP). GSP on 21 December 1994, in force since 1 January 1995. GSP+ on 27 June 2005, in force since 5 July 2005.
  Lower tariffs for goods imported by Georgia from EU countries.
  GSP+ implements lower tariffs for countries respecting human and labor rights, environment and good governance.
• EU-Georgia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). Signed on 22 April 1996, in force since 1 July 1999.
  Focused on harmonization in political, economic and social fields with EU standards.
• European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). Admission on 14 June 2004.
  Foreign policy framework. ENP Action Plan adopted on 14 November 2006 to outline a five-year framework for strengthening cooperation.
• EU Rule of Law Mission to Georgia (EUJUST THEMIS). Created on 28 June 2004, in force from 1 July 2004 to 15 July 2005.
  Assistance in enforcing rule of law and the coordination of the Georgian authorities in the field of criminal justice reform.
• European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM). Created on 15 September 2008, operational since 1 October 2008.
  Created to stabilize the post-war situation in Georgia following the Russia-Georgia conflict in 2008.
• EU-Georgia Human Rights Dialogue (HDR). First edition on 1 April 2009, held annually.
• Eastern Partnership Initiative (EaP). Signed on 7 May 2009.
  Cooperation between EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to integrate more in the EU by legal standardization. It promotes integration within the EU in the political, economic and social fields.
• EU-Georgia Mobility partnership. Signed on 30 November 2009, in force since 16 February 2010.
  Cooperation to manage legal migration and prevent illegal immigration.
• EU-Georgia Visa Facilitation Agreement. Signed on 17 June 2010, in force since 1 March 2011.
  Simplification or the acquisition of short-terms visas for Georgian citizens. Since 28 March 2017, it is visa-free for Georgian citizens.
• EU-Georgia Association Agreement. Signed on 27 June 2014, in force since 1 July 2016.
  Introduction of a preferential trade regime with the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). It enhances market access between the EU and Georgia but also sets goals of reaching closer relevance with the EU standards and norms.
  Extended on 20 November 2017 and on 6 September 2022 to be more ambitious and even closer to EU legislation.
• EU-Georgia Agreement on exchange of classified information. Signed on 23 June 2016, in force since 1 July 2016.
• Membership in the Energy Community Treaty. Signed on 14 October 2016, in force since 1 July 2017.
   Roadmap for integration in the EU energy community for eastern Europe countries.
• EU membership:
  • Memorandum with Ukraine and Moldova to formalize their cooperation to obtain candidate status. Signed on 17 May 2021.
  • Application for application. Presented on 3 March 2022.
  • Candidate status. Granted on 14 December 2023.
    Completed by a list of relevant steps set out in the European Commission recommendation of 8 November 2023.
  • Pause announced on 28 November 2024 by the Georgian Dream-led government in the EU integration until 2028.

Article written by Emilien Renard and Adelina Drauschke, Interns and Research Associates at the Research Center on Security Policy