The confidence of Armenians towards EU is higher than in other countries of the Eastern Partnership.
In terms of the Armenia-EU partnership, last week was full of significant events, which are worth summarizing. On November 28-29, 4 years after launching of the program on EU external relations of the Eastern Partnership, it is planned that Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia will initial in Vilnius and Ukraine will sign the agreement on establishment of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) and Association Agreement with EU.
Recently, in the end of the council meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels, a final document was approved, which referred to the Eastern Partnership. In the Ministerial conclusion, in particular, it was noted that the issues concerning the Vilnius summit were discussed in the Council meeting. The meeting of Eastern Partnership member States Foreign Ministers was held in Brussels, which was presided by the EU High Commissioner for Foreign and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton. The Commissioner’s spokesman issued a statement saying that during the discussions the Ministers were mainly focused on preparations of the Eastern Partnership summit to be held in Vilnius. Ashton emphasized that the EU wants to see the success of the summit, but it largely depends on the partner countries. “Up to this moment significant progress has been made. Ashton stressed the need to continue efforts for the upcoming summit making it an important milestone in relations of the EU and the Eastern partners. She also stressed that taking into account of the fact that only a few weeks is left for the summit in Vilnius, the summit should become retrospective summit in the sense of political association, so as economic integration,”- summarized the EU Commissioner’s statement. On July 25, Ashton and European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Štefan Füle, EU with a joint statement welcomed the successful completion of the EU-Armenia negotiation process: “We are pleased to confirm the end of the negotiations about the content of the Association Agreement with Armenia, including DCFTA. This is a very positive development, and we look forward to the initialing of this Association Agreement on 29 November in Vilnius at the Eastern Partnership Summit and the final signing of it, when all the technical procedural matters will be resolved,”- reads the statement. They stressed that the Association Agreement will enable the EU and Armenia to move forward together in the direction of comprehensive modernization and reform, by sharing common values, political association, and economic integration. “The agreement will have a direct positive impact on the daily life of Armenia and Armenians closer to the EU. Let me express our high assessment to both sides who reached these excellent results.”
A few days ago we learned that the European Commission on the Eastern Partnership Territorial Cooperation Support Programme has allocated 22 million euro to member States for sustainable development, environmental protection and controlled consumption. According to the EC message, right balance in preservation of forests, agriculture and nature protection will be conducted. As of July 31, it became clear from the message of the Press and Information Department of the EU Delegation in Armenia that the EU has an additional 7 million euro transfer to Armenia for vocational education and training, as well as for support to child protection in Armenia.
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The EU has transferred 5 million euro as the final portion of funding to the vocational education and training (VET) program, as well as 2 million fixed tranche for funding the Child Care reform under EU Food Security Programme. Two financial tranches are carried out in 2009-2010 in the framework of agreed budget support function, as appropriate. Pursuant to VET program, Armenia receives 15 million euro funding. The program is aimed at VET system reform, development of employment concepts, provision of good conditions for the implementation of VET program, and enhancement of efficiency for improvement of employment measures. It is noteworthy that the EU, still before initialing the Association Agreement, already provides financial assistance to the provinces, in various sectors. Within the framework of EU regional cooperation, new contact opportunities will be enabled between three provinces of Armenia, Lori, Tavush, and Shirak, and two provinces of Georgia, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo-Kartli. In the framework of EU Eastern Partnership regional cooperation program, new programs of cross-border cooperation to be carried out between Armenia and Georgia will be aimed at boosting contacts between governmental and non-governmental bodies of two countries, which would enable the development of agriculture, tourism, environmental problems.
One noteworthy fact, as well. It turns out that our society, the trust in EU is higher in our society than in other countries of the Eastern Partnership. By the opinion of the population of Armenia, EU is an important partner for Armenia. A few days ago, it was mentioned in the result of the survey conducted by the EU Eastern Partnership Information Center. 86 per cent of population in Armenia agreed with the definition that the EU is an important partner for Armenia. With this percent, Armenia is in the first place in the EU’s Eastern Partnership countries. Georgia is in the second place with 71%, then Moldova – 67%, Ukraine – 60%, Belarus- 39%, and Azerbaijan- 37%.
To the question of whether you would like your country to expand the scope of economic cooperation with EU, Georgia is in the first place with 92 percent, and then Armenia with 85 percent, and Azerbaijan is in last place with 48 percent. And to the question of whether you would like to expand the scope of trade with EU states, Armenia and Georgia share the first place – 87 percent. And to the question of whether you trust the EU, Georgia is in the first place by 71 percent, Armenia in the second place by 68 percent.
Emma GABRIELYAN
