EU ENVISAGES IMPROVING TRADE REGIMES WITH ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Presenting the results of the 6th
sitting of the EU-Armenia Cooperation’s Trade, Economic and Legal
Issues Subcommittee in Yerevan on April 26, the Armenian co-chair of
the subcommittee, the RA Minister of Trade and Economic Development
Tigran Davtian attached importance to discussions on improvement of
trade regimes between the EU and Armenia and on procedures of entry
visa provision to Armenian citizens.
He reminded that Armenia now exports goods to the EU by the GSP
(General System of Preferences) regime that functions for transitional
economies. During the sitting, the issue of granting GSP+ regime
to Armenia was discussed, and Armenia was proposed to submit an
official application for it until early 2008. To recap, this regime
is granted to countries with sustainably developing economy. In case
of receiving it, Armenia will have the opportunity to export goods
to most EU countries at zero rate (the matter concerns 7.2 thousand
commodity groups out of 8.5 thousand commodity groups – subjects of
foreign economic activity).
In the words of T. Davtian, a principal agreement was reached to
start the process of granting free trade regime to Armenia. He said
that the EU will select an independent expert company to examine, in
a 8-month period, the possible consequences of the regime’s granting
for Armenia and the EU. The negotiation process will be conducted
based on the examination results and may last several years.
According to him, in June of 2007, European experts will begin studies
preceding the granting of "market economy" status to Armenia by EU.
T. Davtian said that the European side proposed to simplify the
procedures of visa granting to certain groups of the Armenian
population: businessmen, students, journalists, organized tourists.
During the sitting, EU representatives expressed satisfaction at
macroeconomic indices registered in Armenia, spoke about Armenia’s
tax sector without criticism, underlined the necessity to make
improvements in the customs sector, particularly, to improve the
order of determining the costs of goods imported from EU countries.