European Commission says Georgia still falls short of 9 EU steps

The European Commission said on 4 November that Georgia still falls short of the 9 steps attached to its 2023 EU candidate-status recommendation. Citing further backsliding and the need to address those steps as a priority, it made no recommendations for accession chapters beyond the fundamentals.

Georgia became an EU candidate in 2023, but its accession process was already effectively halted. The Commission said the country continues to miss out on the benefits of candidate status and the process leading to membership.

Accession negotiations divide the body of EU law, known as the acquis and comprising accumulated legislation, legal acts and court decisions, into chapters. The Commission identified democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights as principles underpinning accession. Its assessment was described by Civil.ge.

The Commission’s concerns

The Commission said authorities had not acted on longstanding electoral reform recommendations and that the 2025 local elections took place in a polarized, repressive environment that severely undermined competition and transparency. It also said judicial independence remained seriously weakened and enforcement of fundamental-rights protections had deteriorated.

The report said an attempt to ban major opposition parties through a case before Georgia’s Constitutional Court threatened the foundations of democracy. It also said restrictive laws had curtailed civil society and infringed freedoms of expression, assembly and association, as well as equality and non-discrimination.

The Commission said the Georgian Dream government’s declared aspiration to join the EU was contradicted by hostile anti-EU rhetoric, the undermining of fundamental values and a failure to carry out key reforms.

It urgently called for the release of people it described as arbitrarily detained, including politicians, journalists and activists, and the repeal of laws restricting fundamental rights. It also urged comprehensive investigations into allegations of excessive force, torture and other ill-treatment by law enforcement, and for perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The Commission said journalists' safety had deteriorated and called for their protection, impartial legal follow-up to attacks and intimidation, and the repeal of laws restricting press freedom and expression.

Visa warning and next steps

The Commission warned that unresolved concerns about democracy and fundamental rights put the wider visa-free regime at risk. Those concerns had already led to the suspension of visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic and service passport holders earlier in 2026; the Commission did not announce a general suspension.

The Commission said Georgia’s EU path could resume if its authorities change course and recommit to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said foreign ministers would discuss Georgia in January, including how to support its people and their aspirations for European membership.