Georgia’s accession process to the European Union has come to a halt, according to the 2025 Enlargement Policy Communication published by the European Commission on 4 November. The report concludes that the Georgian government’s recent course of action has undermined EU–Georgia relations and derailed the country from its European path.
The document recalls that in December 2023, the European Council granted Georgia EU candidate status on the condition that it implement a set of nine key reforms outlined in the Commission’s recommendations. However, according to the report, subsequent developments led the Council in June and October 2024 to determine that the government’s actions had jeopardized Georgia’s EU path, effectively bringing the accession process to a standstill.
“In December 2024, the European Council regretted the Georgian government’s decision to suspend the country’s EU accession process until 2028,” the report states. “Unless Georgia reverts to its EU path and demonstrates tangible efforts to address key reforms, the Commission will not be in a position to recommend opening accession negotiations.”
Instead of advancing reforms and showing a commitment to integration, the report says Georgia “further derailed from the EU path.” It cites widespread irregularities during the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024, as well as repressive actions and legislation targeting protesters, civil society, independent media, and the political opposition, which have plunged the country into a deep political crisis.
The Commission says the Georgian authorities’ decision in November 2024 not to pursue the opening of accession negotiations confirmed a clear departure from the pro-European policies of previous governments and from the constitutional commitment to EU integration, supported by the majority of Georgian citizens.
The report also highlights widespread human rights violations, an erosion of democratic principles, and the government’s use of hostile, anti-EU rhetoric, often echoing Russian-style disinformation.
As a result of the deterioration in relations, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision in January 2025 based on the Commission’s proposal, ending the practice of granting visa exemptions and facilitation measures for Georgian diplomats and holders of service passports — a symbolic yet significant indicator of Georgia’s downgraded standing in its relationship with the EU.
The 2025 Enlargement Communication paints one of the bleakest assessments of Georgia’s European trajectory since its independence, warning that unless the authorities reverse course and recommit to democratic reform, the country risks long-term isolation from the European integration process.
