EU to provide 15 million EUR to Armenia for SME development

ArmInfo. European Union as part of the new format of relations with Armenia will provide 15 million EUR for development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the country, Karen Chshmarityan, Economy Minister of Armenia, said at the 16th session of the EU - Armenia Cooperation Committee, on November 4.   

The sides are going to sign an agreement of cooperation to boost the trade and economic relations, in particular, to support SME, as well as the EU Framework Partnership Agreement for Horizon 2020 Programme for Research and Innovation of the European Union, which, as the minister said, is a serious resources for the country's scientific and technological development.

"Today's meeting is significant as the Armenian side, particularly, the country's departments are expected to voice their suggestions for further development of the relations with the EU. We are determined to use all possibilities provided by the European side to establish cooperation in new areas," Chshmarityan.

Gunnar Wiegand, the European External Action Service (EEAS) Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE, in turn, said EU seeks to support the reforms in Armenia.  "We respect Armenia's decision to join the EEU. I'd like to emphasize that the EU is still one of Armenia's prior partners in trade and other sector of economy," he said adding that the relations with Armenia will be developed within a new format after the European Commission was authorized to launch negotiations with Armenia on a new legal base.

The meeting discussed also issues of cooperation in the field of transport and energy, human rights and freedoms, versatile format of cooperation, Nagorny Karabakh conflict and the Armenian -Turkish relations.