European Union (EU) member states officially approved the initiation of negotiations with Armenia to lift the EU's visa requirements for Armenian citizens. According to diplomatic sources cited by RFE/RL's Armenian Service, this decision was confirmed by EU ambassadors in Brussels.

The approval paves the way for the European Commission to draft an action plan for the “visa liberalization dialogue” with the Armenian government in the coming months. RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak explained that the process will involve extensive requirements on document security, border management, the readmission of illegal migrants, and fundamental rights issues. Jozwiak noted, “It’s like a whole dossier of hundreds of pages that needs to be fulfilled by Armenia, and this will take years.”

He emphasized that lifting EU visas for Armenians will ultimately require unanimous approval from all EU member states. "There is a general movement in Europe where people are fearful of irregular migration," Jozwiak said. "There are a few countries, notably Sweden, Austria, and the Netherlands, that are very cautious about granting visa liberalization to other countries. So, this is far from a done deal. There are many hurdles and problems."

EU leaders first committed to starting visa liberalization talks with Armenia during the Eastern Partnership summit in 2017, which included Armenia and five other former Soviet republics. This commitment followed the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the EU and Armenia. Since then, both the current and former Armenian governments have urged the 27-nation bloc to set a date for the talks.