Armenia to be Granted its Mandate on the EU–Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in April

On March 30, the EU–Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee convened its next meeting headed by the Secretary General of Armenia’s National Security Council, Arthur Baghdasaryan.

The session summed up the process of implementing steps that secure the implementation of the EU–Armenia Action Plan.

Baghdasaryan mentioned that within the framework of EU–Armenia cooperation, some changes are set to be made in 190 areas which include 277 activities. In 2009, the Committee created about 40 inter-institutional working groups and developed 10 concepts, 1 strategy and 4 national programs. Thirty three per cent of the above-mentioned activities have either been implemented completely or are in their final stage. The rest of the work will be implemented from 2010–2011.

Deputy Foreign Ministry Karine Ghazinyan presented the work carried out toward the signing of the EU–Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

In her words, this agreement to be signed with the EU in the framework of the Eastern Partnership Program is aimed at deepening the political cooperation and boosting the economic integration of Eastern Partnership participant countries with the EU to secure markets for each other.

Also planned for discussion is the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Štefan Füle’s visit to Armenia to discuss the issue of Armenia’s mandate to negotiate over the agreement to be granted to Armenia at the end of April.