EUROPEAN COMMISSION EXPERTS TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN ON FREE TRADE FACT-FINDING TRIP
ARKA
Feb 18, 2009
YEREVAN, February 18. /ARKA/. An expert group of the European
Commission headed by director of representative office of trade
directorate general Eva Sinovich is to arrive in Yerevan on February
18-19 on a fact-finding mission to prepare possible negotiations on
signing of a free trade agreement between Armenia and the European
Union.
The European Commission delegation in Armenia reported that the group
is to meet with both the authorities and the country’s experts.
The discussion are to help the Commission to establish first priority
reforms needed to prepare Armenia for the negotiations and signing of
a all-embracing agreement on free trade with the EU, says the report.
Such an agreement will enhance the current trade links and offer
mutually advantageous terms to the sides.
The European Union assumed responsibility to provide continuous support
to Armenia in reforms, including through technical assistance, says
the report.
EU-Armenian free trade agreement is one of the important components
of the Eastern Partnership and will help Armenia move forward to real
integration in the EU, which, in its turn, will give a real benefit
to Armenian companies and consumers.
The agreement will not only abolish the tariffs in bilateral trade,
but will also liberalize services sector and flow of investments and
will consolidate system reforms through harmonization of Armenian
laws with the EU laws and procedures.
In this respect, Armenian Government was suggested to focus on proper
implementation and application of the laws passed and to strengthen
departmental skills to finally stimulate economic growth and create
new jobs.
In May 2008, an independent study of an Armenia-EU free trade
agreement potential recorded certain progress in Armenia in setting
the mentioned conditions. Yet, further efforts are needed and the
agreement negotiations have not been launched yet.
For the time being the sides focus on creating the required conditions
for a mandate of bilateral negotiations to be initiated in the
future. To speed up the preparatory process, the European Commission
is to carry out a large fact-finding mission in the country. The
mission will rely on the positive results recorded by the European
Commission mission on customs issues in Armenia in July 2008.
The EU is to provide highly experienced consultants to Armenian
Minister of Economy for advising how to get prepared for the future
free trade agreement.