US State Department welcomes EU decision to grant Georgia candidate status and pledges support

US State Department and Georgia

The U.S. State Department supports the December 14 decision of the European Council to grant Georgia the status of a candidate country for EU accession and to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. According to the White House, America is ready to help Georgia “carry out necessary reforms”.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller statement

“The United States welcomes the December 14 European Council decision on EU enlargement as a powerful affirmation of the candidates’ European future. Today’s decision to begin accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, to grant candidate status to Georgia, and to begin accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina as soon as it meets the necessary criteria, provides hope and encouragement to these states and their citizens to continue reforms to strengthen their desire to become EU members. This is a historic moment for Europe and the transatlantic partnership.

The U.S. continues to support the EU enlargement process and stands ready to help candidate countries and future EU candidates implement important reforms. At this important moment for the transatlantic community, we urge these countries to seize the opportunity to realize their full democratic and economic potential and secure Europe’s future.”

The European Commission granted Georgia EU candidate status

“A clear signal of hope for their people and for our continent,” Charles Michel stated. Accession negotiations begin with Ukraine and Moldova

Yesterday, on 14 December, the European Council decided to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant Georgia the status of an EU candidate country.

Prior to this decision, the General Secretariat of the European Council published an enlargement opinion. The Council called on Georgia to demonstrate a clear commitment to EU values, to continue to make progress on its reform program and to meet the conditions set by the Commission.

The Council generally welcomes the good legal framework, institutional structure and active civil society, including monitoring organizations, and states that this provides a solid basis for advancing democratic and rule of law reforms in Georgia.

The EU Council of Ministers emphasizes that Georgia must ensure full respect for fundamental rights, including media freedom and pluralism, freedom of opinion, assembly and expression, and the protection of LGBT persons from intimidation, violence and discrimination.

“The Council emphasizes the strong expectation that Georgia will significantly strengthen compliance with the EU’s common foreign and security policy positions and restrictive measures, including against Russia and Belarus. This will be a clear sign of the country’s strategic choice to join the European Union,” the document says.