European Parliament Moves to Tighten Visa-Free Rules

October 9 ------ The European Parliament passed a resolution on Oct. 7 in favor – 518 for and 96 against – of a motion for the streamlined suspension of visa-free travel for third countries, giving Brussels additional authority to respond quickly to issues arising from migration, security, or human rights violations.

The changes update a mechanism first put in place in 2018, allowing the EU to revoke visa-free travel in temporary or permanent situations when a partner country is not meeting its obligations. The European Commission will now have more powers to monitor and act in cases of violations.

Under the reformed measures, the EU will have the ability to suspend visa-free access if there are:

• Hybrid threats, including manipulation of migration flows through the state;

• Investor citizenship or “golden passport” schemes;

• Divergence from EU visa policy;

• Violation of the UN Charter or International Human Rights Law;

• Failure to comply with an International Court of Justice ruling.

Temporary suspension can now last for up to 12 months and is extendable for another 24 months. If the partner country has not remedied the situation after 24 months have lapsed, the EU could entirely revoke visa-free travel for that country.

“Europe remains the world’s most visited continent by tourists and business travelers alike, and our visa policy is therefore one of our strongest foreign policy tools. With a modernized suspension mechanism, the EU will be able to suspend visa-free travel in the case of serious human rights violations and can target suspensions at government officials or other groups. This reformed mechanism reinforces our commitment to human rights and international law”, said Slovenian MEP (member of European Parliament) Matjaž Nemec (Social Democrats).

Georgia under scrutiny amid growing rift with Brussels

The reform comes at a sensitive time for EU-Georgia relations, which have grown increasingly tense under the ruling Georgian Dream government. Over the past year, Tbilisi has repeatedly clashed with Brussels over issues such as the controversial “foreign agents” law, government rhetoric echoing Russian narratives, and concerns about democratic backsliding.

EU officials have warned that such developments could undermine Georgia’s EU candidate status, granted in 2023, and complicate its path toward eventual membership. European Parliament resolutions this year have explicitly criticized the Georgian government for “deviation from European values” and “deliberate efforts to distance the country from the West.” Against this backdrop, the new visa-free suspension mechanism could give Brussels a sharper tool to exert pressure on Tbilisi if it continues to stray from EU norms – particularly in areas such as rule of law, media freedom, and human rights.

What losing visa-free travel would mean for Georgia

For Georgia, the loss or suspension of visa-free travel would be far more than an administrative setback. it would be a significant political and psychological blow to a population that has largely been in favor of integration with Europe.

Since the visa-free regime took effect in 2017, nearly 1 million Georgian citizens have benefited from short-term travel to the Schengen zone – for tourism, education, and business. A reversal of this privilege would isolate ordinary Georgians, weaken people-to-people ties, and bolster anti-Western narratives domestically.

Council approval expected in November

The EU Council is expected to formally approve the reform on Nov. 17, with the law entering into force in December, 20 days after publication in the EU’s Official Journal. Currently, 61 countries – including Georgia, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans – enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen area. So far, the EU has revoked such access only once, in the case of Vanuatu.

Source: kyivpost.com