Armenia moves closer to visa-free EU travel but can its data protection keep pace?

On November 5, Armenia received the EU Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP), a key document that outlines the steps the country must take to qualify for visa-free travel to the Schengen Area.

The handover of the VLAP marks a milestone in Armenia’s evolving relationship with the European Union. But alongside progress in areas like judicial reform, anti-corruption measures, and migration management, one issue is beginning to draw heightened attention: personal data protection.

As Armenia pushes forward with digital transformation, rolling out digital ID systems, expanding e-government services, and digitizing public infrastructure, the need to ensure that citizens’ personal data is properly safeguarded has become more than a technical concern. It is now a core governance issue, and one increasingly tied to Armenia’s broader EU alignment goals.

Data protection as an EU benchmark

The Visa Liberalisation Action Plan, though not yet public in full, is expected to reflect the standard EU requirements applied to all countries seeking visa-free access. This includes alignment with data protection norms based on the GDPR, and the establishment of an independent data protection authority with sufficient resources and enforcement power.

Currently, Armenia has a data protection law on the books, but experts point to gaps in institutional capacity, oversight, and public trust. Without meaningful reform, the country could fall short of meeting the kind of digital rights protections expected by Brussels.

A foundational reform

A new policy brief published by Araminta and its partners argues that data protection is not just a technical requirement, but a foundational element of democratic digital governance. The brief outlines what’s missing in the current system, and what steps Armenia can take to establish a data protection authority that meets European standards.

The stakes are high. Without strong institutions to enforce privacy standards, digitalisation risks outpacing accountability.

Armenia’s EU ambitions are real. But in the age of AI, digital IDs, and algorithmic governance, trust is the new passport and protecting citizens’ data is the price of entry.

Read Araminta’s policy brief on data protection and Armenia’s EU integration here!