EU confirms receipt of Georgia’s report on visa-free travel recommendations

The European Commission has confirmed it had received Georgia’s government report on the implementation of recommendations tied to the country’s visa-free travel arrangement with the EU.

A spokesperson for the Commission, Markus Lammert, said on Monday that the report, submitted on the previous day, responded to a letter sent by Brussels on 14 June. “We will now assess Georgia’s replies and expect the authorities to take concrete steps to address the issues raised in the Commission’s recommendations,” he added, declining to provide further details.

The report covers eight recommendations intended to safeguard fundamental rights, including freedom of assembly, expression, association, and protection from discrimination, as well as reviewing legislation affecting civil society, vulnerable groups, and independent media. The EU had set the end of August as the deadline for compliance.

Levan Makhasvili, chairman of Georgia’s parliamentary European Integration Committee, said the report demonstrated that Georgia was fulfilling its obligations and argued there was no reason for visa-free travel to be suspended. He added that the report included information submitted by the parliament and had been forwarded to Brussels within a few days.

Since 2017, Georgian citizens have enjoyed visa-free access to the Schengen area. Recent domestic legislation restricting civil society and media freedoms has raised concerns in Brussels, with EU officials warning that failure to address these issues could threaten the arrangement.

EU procedures for suspending visa-free travel require a qualified majority in the EU Council: at least 55% of member states representing at least 65% of the bloc’s population must approve any action.

Georgia’s Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, said the government would prioritise “peace and stability” if the situation arose, framing the possible suspension as politically motivated. The EU Ambassador, however, stressed that responsibility for any consequences would rest with the Georgian authorities if recommendations were not fully implemented.