EU-Armenia in the new context: way forward and role of civil society in reform process

14th Cooperation Council between EU and Armenia took place today in Brussels, according to a press release from the Commissioner’s Štefan Füle office.

'Compared to previous Cooperation Council there is definitely a difference in the content of our discussions - given the new international commitments of Armenia. But what remains the same, is our desire and resolve to continue to have a close relationship and take it forward, based on what we have achieved so far’.

‘In this light, we have reconfirmed the need to revisit the basis for our bilateral relations, as well as to update the EU-Armenia European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan to adjust it to the extent and ambitions of our future cooperation’.

‘We have commended the progress on the Mobility Partnership’, he added.

‘The ratification of the Agreements on Visa Facilitation and Readmission is completed and we are looking forward to their early entry into force. This will enable us to boost people to people contacts, which is an important element of our continued cooperation’, the Commissioner said calling for ‘the way forward for EU-Armenia relations to be outlined in the new context’ and assuring that ‘Armenia can count on the continued EU support to advance political, economic and social reforms and improve the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms’.

In reference to the role of the civil society Štefan Füle said that the ‘meeting was also yet another important opportunity to underline the role Civil Society is playing in the reform process, in shaping it and monitoring reforms’. ‘We have strengthened the cooperation and support for the Civil Society. We hope very much that also their work will be built on what has been achieved in that area in the last 3,5 years. We hope very much that fundamental freedoms, in particular freedom of expression and assembly, will be further strengthened’, he said.

‘A specific support is going to be provided to the Armenian national platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in order to strengthen its role and monitoring the reform process by building structured dialogue with the government’, the Commissioner added calling on ‘the government to ensure that there is not intimidation of Civil Society representatives, human rights activists, in particular women's rights activists and appealing to investigate some of those cases from the past and make sure that the perpetrators are brought to justice’, a press release concludes.

Press release

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