Visa regime between Armenia and the European Union will be facilitated by the end of this year, Eleonora Vergeer, Policy Advisor on Migration of EU Advisory Group, said.
Delivering a lecture in the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University today, Eleonora Vergeer said that the second round of Armenia-EU talks on Mobility Partnership Agreement (within the framework of which the visa regime is to be simplified) starts in late April and will come into force parallel with the signing of the Readmission Agreement by Armenia, under which Armenia is committed to receive back its citizens, living illegally on the territory of EU, Mediamax reports.
"The common migration policy between EU and Armenia is beneficial both for the European Union, Armenia and Armenian citizens, who legally travel to EU states to study, work or for other purposes, as well as will reduce illegal migration flows," said Eleonora Vergeer.
According to her, within the framework of the agreement, EU will stimulate legal mobility, elaborate temporary and cyclic migration schemes, provide information to people leaving for EU and even prepare them for living in EU countries, by teaching them the language of the country they travel to. Armenia, for its part, should ensure reintegration of returnees.
Eleonora Vergeer said that as far as the labor migration in the EU will bear temporary character within the framework of the agreement, there will be no "brain outflow" from the country, Armenia will get more foreign investments, money transfers, and returning specialists, who have worked in EU, will become a competitive labor force.
The agreement envisages facilitation of visa regime. In particular, visas for staying in EU up to 90 days will become cheaper and will be issued within 10 days. "Visa price will be reduced from current €60 to €45, and will be free of charge for children, pensioners and invalids," said Eleonora Vergeer.
From post-Soviet states, EU has already signed analogous agreements with Georgia and Moldova.
...