Baku, Azerbaijan, March 12
Trend:
The European Parliament has approved the visa facilitation and readmission agreements between the European Union (EU) and Azerbaijan, ITAR-TASS reported.
The relevant recommendation to Brussels has been adopted at the plenary session of the European Parliament.
"The signing of these agreements is a step forward in cooperation in the sphere of enhancing the mobility of citizens. Thanks to these agreements, the procedures will be simplified and accelerated," the document said.
Azerbaijan and the European Union signed a visa facilitation agreement within the EU summit in Vilnius in November 2013.
On Feb.28 Azerbaijan signed a readmission agreement with the European Union.
Currently, Azerbaijan is preparing to sign a readmission agreement with Norway and Switzerland, the Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev earlier told Trend.
When the new rules come into force, a decision on issuing a visa will be made within 10 days, in case of emergency - in two days or less. The application will cost 35 euros for Azerbaijani citizens, and a list of required documents will be reduced for certain categories of the population, in particular - relatives, members of official delegations, students, teachers, businessmen, scientists, and journalists.
The signing of visa facilitation and readmission agreements is envisaged by EU's Eastern Partnership program aimed at closer cooperation of the EU with six former Soviet republics - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Translated by L.Z.
Edited by C.N.