PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union,
the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the
European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their
Member States, of the one part, Armenia, on the other.
PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the
act only if Parliament has given its consent to the
act.
BACKGROUND: relations between the European Union and
Armenia are currently based on the Partnership and Cooperation
Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States,
of the one part, and Armenia, of the other part, which entered into
force on 1 July 1999 for an initial ten-year period and which has
been automatically renewed.
On 29 September 2015, the Council adopted Decisions
authorising the European Commission and the High Representative of
the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to negotiate a
Framework Agreement between the EU and Armenia. The European
Parliament has been kept promptly and fully informed throughout the
negotiations.
The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement
between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community
and their Member States, of the one part, and Armenia, of the other
part was signed on 24 November 2017, subject to its conclusion at a
later date.
The Council must adopt a decision concluding the
Agreement after approval by the European Parliament.
CONTENT: the Joint Proposal of the European
Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy is the legal instrument required
for the conclusion of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership
Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic
Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and
Armenia, of the other part.
The Agreement aims to strengthen political dialogue by
creating an institutional framework and organising cooperation
procedures between Armenia and the EU in a wide range of
areas. It paves the way for a more effective bilateral
relationship with Armenia and is an important step towards
increased political and economic involvement of the European Union
in the South Caucasus.
The Agreement:
- includes the EUs standard political clauses on
human rights, the international criminal courts, weapons of mass
destruction, small arms and light weapons, and counterterrorism. It
also contains provisions on cooperation in areas such as transport,
energy, health, the environment, climate change, taxation,
education and culture, employment and social affairs, banking and
insurance, industrial policy, agriculture and rural development,
tourism, research and innovation, and mining;
- covers legal cooperation, the rule of law, combating
money laundering and terrorist financing, and fighting organised
crime and corruption;
- foresees that Armenia shall take steps to develop a
well-functioning market economy and to gradually approximate its
economic and financial regulations and policies to those of the
European Union, as well as supporting Armenia in ensuring sound
macroeconomic policies;
- contains a substantive trade title with important
commitments in several trade policy areas. These will improve
conditions for bilateral EU-Armenia trade, while taking full
account of Armenias obligations as a member of the Eurasian
Economic Union. They will ensure a better regulatory environment
for economic operators in areas such as trade in services and
goods, setting up and running companies, capital movements,
government procurement and intellectual property rights,
sustainable development, and competition;
- creates a Subcommittee on Geographical Indications to
be approved by the Commission on behalf of the European Union.
Where interested parties cannot reach agreement following
objections relating to a geographical indication, the Commission
shall adopt such a position on the basis of the procedure laid down
in Article 57 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European
Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural
products and foodstuffs.
Although the Agreement is designed to bring Armenian
law gradually closer to the EU acquis, it does not go as far as to
establish an association between the EU and Armenia.