Opinions & Interviews

Belarus-EU visa facilitation agreement expected to be signed by 2 February 2020

MINSK, 22 July (BelTA) - The agreement on visa facilitation between Belarus and the European Union are expected to be signed before 2 February 2020 when the amendments to the visa code take effect and the Schengen visa fees increase to €80, Head of the European Union Delegation to Belarus Andrea Wiktorin told the media, BelTA has learned. 

“We will sign the agreement on visa facilitation. I cannot say the specific date but all the documents have already been prepared and both sides are undertaking legal procedures,” Andrea Wiktorin said.

This work is handled by a special commission. Presumably, it will complete its work by November 2019. “We are well aware of the deadline, namely 2 February 2020,” she added.

The head of the EU Delegation welcomed considerable progress in the relations with Belarus in recent years. In particular, the assistance from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has doubled. “Much has been achieved in relations between Belarus and the European Union. For example, we have set up a coordinating group which meets semi-annually to discuss various issues related to human rights, trade, economic development, customs matters. It is important that experts discuss these issues in close collaboration,” Andrea Wiktorin said.

The interest in twinning projects has been recently growing on both sides. They are already being implemented between the National Bank of Belarus and banks of Poland, Germany and Lithuania. “There is an interest on the part of the EU as they provide an opportunity for specialists from various government institutions of the EU to share experience with Belarusian colleagues,” Andrea Wiktorin added.
 
Twinning is a tool of the European Union designed to support direct interaction between government agencies of European Union countries and partner countries or beneficiaries. Twinning projects envisage joint use of the expert potential of government agencies of the European Union countries and beneficiary countries in order to achieve specified mandatory practical results.

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