Belgium has removed Georgia from the list of safe countries. Belgium introduced the safe country of origin concept in 2012 and updates it at least once a year. However, the list can be reviewed if the situation in the country of origin has changed. Georgia was on the updated list as of April 7, 2023 and was removed from was the most recent updated version on July 10, 2023.

“Belgium made a decision to grant refugee status to citizens of Georgia, as citizens of a country whose own government cannot protect them, through a simplified procedure. This decision is alarming in the context of the visa-free regime Georgia has with the EU and the importance of being on the list to maintain it.

After Belgium’s decision, there is a serious risk that other [EU member] countries will follow suit, one of them might raise the issue of working out the mechanism to stop the visa-free regime with Georgia on the agenda of the European Union”, - said Salome Samadashvili, MP from “Lelo”, and former Ambassador of Georgia to the Kingdom of Belgium.