{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2013-695/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2013-695/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2013/695",
  "legislation_title": "Council Decision of 25 November 2013 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (2013/695/EU)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2013-695",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Council Decision\nof 25 November 2013\non the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas\n(2013/695/EU)\nTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular point (a) of Article 77(2), in conjunction with Article 218(5), thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the European Commission,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nThe Joint Declaration of the Warsaw Eastern Partnership Summit of 30 September 2011 confirms the political support towards enhancing the mobility of citizens by way of visa liberalisation and the intention to take gradual steps towards visa free travel for their citizens in due course.\n(2)\nOn 19 December 2011, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Republic of Azerbaijan on an Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (‘the Agreement’). The negotiations were successfully concluded by the initialling of the Agreement on 29 July 2013.\n(3)\nThe Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Union, subject to its conclusion.\n(4)\nThis Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which the United Kingdom does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2000/365/EC; the United Kingdom is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application.\n(5)\nThis Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC; Ireland is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application.\n(6)\nIn accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Council Decision 2000/365/EC of 29 May 2000 concerning the request of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28 February 2002 concerning Ireland’s request to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2013/695/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:14:57.570593+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}