Yerevan /Mediamax/. The Public Communications Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented today the work being carried out towards the liberalization of EU entry visas.
The official launch of negotiations on EU visa liberalization was announced about a year ago, on September 9, 2024.
The operational phase began on December 11, 2024, with a meeting between Johannes Luchner, Deputy Director-General for Migration and Internal Affairs of the European Commission, and Armenia’s Minister of Internal Affairs and Chief Negotiator Arpine Sargsyan.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a news release:
“The first and second EU expert missions visited Armenia on February 10-14 and April 7-11, 2025.
To ensure effective coordination, an interdepartmental working group was established under the leadership of the Minister of Internal Affairs, along with an expert working group led by the Deputy Minister.
Following the two missions, assessment reports were prepared, identifying current challenges. Based on these findings, the European Commission drafted an Action Plan. This plan, a non-negotiable document, will serve as the roadmap for implementation.
First mission (February 2025 visit)
The areas I and II of the Action Plan were discussed:
▪ Document security
▪ Border management
▪ Migration management
▪ Asylum policy
Meetings were held in relevant state agencies, and site visits were organized to Armenia’s border checkpoints at Bagratashen and Ayrum, Zvartnots Airport, the asylum seekers’ shelter in Abovyan, the Migration and Citizenship Service Center, and the document printing center.
Second mission (April 2025 visit)
The areas of Action Plan III and IV were discussed:
▪ Organized crime
▪ Corruption and financial crimes
▪ Judicial and law enforcement cooperation in criminal cases, including personal data protection
▪ Foreign relations and fundamental rights
Meetings were held at the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Unified Call Center, the Patrol Service, the Ministry’s Educational Complex, and the Academy of Justice.
In June, Minister Arpine Sargsyan met in Brussels with EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, and EU Commissioner for Equality Haja Lahbib. Agreements were reached on the visit of an expert delegation to Armenia to further advance the visa liberalization process.
In June 2025, a delegation from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs visited Armenia.
The Action Plan, summarized by the European Commission, is currently being agreed with the EU member states, and is expected to be officially handed over to Armenia in the fall of 2025.
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