ARMENIA’S INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS TO GET Â~B¬19.1 MILLION BOOST FROM EU

ENPI Info Centre

July 14 2011

The European Commission has pledged â~B¬19.1 million under this
year’s Annual Action Programme for Armenia to help boost its key
institutions responsible for cooperation with the EU. A press release
said the approval, on 13 July, of the 2011 Action Programme would help
“strengthen the technical and administrative capacity of key Armenian
institutions in charge of the implementation of future Armenia-EU
cooperation on trade, visa liberalisation, socio-economic reforms
and improved quality of governance.”

“The ‘Arab Spring’ led to increased expectations of governance reforms
across the European Neighbourhood,” Commissioner for Enlargement
and European Neighbourhood Policy Å tefan Fule underlined, adding:
“The impact that the changes had on the Eastern neighbourhood, Armenia
included, cannot be ignored. Today’s adoption of the Annual Action
Programme shows that the EU remains strongly committed to empowering
societies in the neighbourhood partner countries to take ownership
of these reforms, which are very much needed for the well-being of
their people.”

The 2011 Action Programme for Armenia (part I) deals mainly with
the Eastern Partnership Comprehensive Institution Building (CIB)
programme, which is central for preparing the foundations for the
Association Agreement and DCFTA.

The support package will address three key reform challenges in
Armenia:

â~@¢preparing for the EU-Armenia negotiations of the Association
Agreement; â~@¢advancing reforms in justice, liberty and security;
â~@¢preparing for the negotiations of the Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Area. (ENPI Info Centre)