OSCE-SUPPORTED REPORT RECOMMENDS REVISION OF STATE MIGRATION STRATEGY AND LEGISLATION IN ARMENIA

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
July 3 2007

( OSCE ) – The findings of an OSCE Office in Yerevan-supported
study on migration legislation and administration in Armenia were
discussed at a meeting today attended by experts from key Government
and international institutions.

The 50-page report highlights topics such as management of migration
flows to and from Armenia, harmonization of border management with
international standards, labour migration, data collection, protection
and monitoring. It also introduces best practices from other countries,
with a special focus on the Czech Republic, which recently reformed
its migration laws.

Local and international experts made specific recommendations
to improve migration management and enforcement of migration
legislation. They suggested better co-ordination of activities in
the field of international migration through further consolidation
of immigration and emigration legislation, and introducing clear
delineation of responsibilities for the various state agencies and
departments involved in migration regulation. They also advised the
speeding up of the adoption of the Law on Regulation of Overseas
Employment.

"This report, together with two Office-commissioned surveys on
labour migration from Armenia, conducted by the local non-government
organization Advanced Social Technologies, will strengthen the
capacity of the national institutions in migration management and will
contribute to the protection of migrants’ rights," said Sven Holdar,
Democratization Officer at the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

The report, which is available in Armenian and English, was also
supported by the British Embassy in Armenia.