EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S EXPERTS TEAM COMES ON A THREE-DAY VISIT TO ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Feb 17, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. A European Commission’s team
composed of 23 experts and led by Ms Eva Synowiec from the Commission’s
Directorate General for Trade comes on a three-day visit to Armenia
on February 17.

According to the press service of the RA ministry of economy, the
purpose of the visit is to map out a preparatory process for future
possible negotiations of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the
European Union (EU) and Armenia.

During the visit the European experts will have meetings with
representatives of the following Armenian ministries: the ministry
of economy, the ministry of justice, the ministry of health, the
ministry of nature protection, the ministry of agriculture, the
ministry of finance, the ministry of labor and social issues, as
well as the State Revenue Committee, the Central Bank of Armenia,
the State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition, the
Public Services Regulatory Commission, and some departments.

Issues related to technical obstacles to trade, sanitary and
phytosanitary measures, the right of intellectual property, state
procurement, protection of economic competition, sustainable
development (labor and social issues, environmental protection),
etc. will be discussed at the meetings.

Discussions in 12 expert groups are envisaged.

A sitting dedicated to the fact-finding mission of the EU will be
held on February 18, during which the main goals of the fact-finding
mission on EU-Armenian FTA will be presented, while the results of
the work done will be finalized at the February 19 sitting.

Reference: with the aim of examining the opportunity of signing
a EU-Armenia FTA, the CASE independent organization (Poland) has
conducted a feasibility study, based on the results of which CASE
published a report in May 2008 and submitted it to the respective
ministries and departments of Armenia for discussion. As a result,
a package of considerations of the Armenian government has been
presented to the European side.

After studying the package, the European side proposed discussing with
Armenia the opportunities of signing a deep and comprehensive free
trade agreement, which presupposes implementation of institutional
and legislative reforms in Armenia.