ARMENIA-EU TRADE ON STEADY RISE

Armenpress
Sept 24 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s trade with EU member
nations in the first six months of this year accelerated to almost
$667 million, making 35.2 percent of Armenia’s aggregate foreign trade,
up from 25.8 percent from a year before.

Armenian exports in the reported time rose 11.4 percent year-on-year
to $252.3 million, while exports grew 36.6 percent to $414.3 million.

Announcing these numbers, Armenian trade and economic development
minister Nerses Yeritsian said to a recurrent meeting of Armenia-EU
Cooperation Committee in Yerevan, that exports and imports in both
directions are on steady rise, although Armenian exports rise is not
that tangible as EU imports to Armenia.

The minister argued in favor of integrating tall hose systems, which
will facilitate bilateral trade, such as standardization system,
elimination of reciprocal quality obstacles, Armenia’s joining various
registry systems and so on.

"We will make fresh efforts to advance structural reforms. We
are working on an ambitious and bold program, which we call second
generation reforms, designed to improve trade, investment environment
and eliminate everything that impedes boosting ties between Armenia
and EU," he said.