Yerevan /Mediamax/. The European Union has today issued a report on developments in Armenia and EU-Armenia relations between June 2018 and early May 2019.

Mediamax presents excerpts from the report.

EU significant role in Armenia’s reform agenda

Armenia has stepped up its efforts to reinforce and enhance its partnership with the EU, and that Armenia consistently acknowledged the significant role the EU can play in the smooth implementation of the country’s reform agenda.

However, the reform process remains at an early stage. The government’s roadmap for the implementation of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement will be an important instrument in advancing reform plans.

Mogherini: Armenia is an important partner

“The European Union has been and will continue to be the biggest supporter of the Armenian Government’s ambitious reform plan, which is consolidating democracy, the rule of law and promoting human rights in the country.

Armenia is an important partner for the European Union, and together we are focused on implementing our wide-reaching bilateral agreement, as well as delivering concrete results within the Eastern Partnership.

We always keep firmly in mind that our aim is bringing tangible benefits to our citizens,” noted High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini.

Total EU-Armenia trade increased

Total EU-Armenia trade increased by 15% over the past year reaching a total value of EUR 1.1 billion. Armenia benefits from the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences plus (GSP+), which is a special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance.

Dialogue in education sector

An EU-Armenia Education Policy Dialogue was inaugurated in March 2019 to support the reform in the education sector. Thanks to the support of the Erasmus+ capacity building projects, Armenian universities have been able to upgrade their administrative and organisational structures and modernize study courses.

EU4Innovation programme

At the end of 2018, a new “EU4Innovation” programme worth EUR 23 million was launched aimed at matching the skills of university graduates with the requirements of the labour market. The programme will create a EU4Innovation Centre for universities and an EU Convergence Centre to bring together universities and private sector, complemented by an incubator for technology start-ups.

EU to continue engaging in Armenia

The EU is the biggest provider of financial support and a key reform partner in Armenia. The EU stands ready to continue engaging in Armenia and provide support through political dialogue, financial and technical assistance, to support the Armenian government ambitious reforms for the benefit of the citizens of Armenia and EU-Armenia cooperation.