Deputy Minister: By the end of 2016 EU mandate will be given on launching negotiations with Armenia over common aviation zone

ArmInfo. By the end of 2016  mandate will be given to the European Commission on launching  negotiations with Armenia over common aviation zone, Deputy Minister  of Foreign Affairs Karen Nazaryan stated today at parliament during  budget hearings. 

According to him Armenia will continue working on signing the  agreement on common aviation area with the European Union. Nazaryan  recalled that the joint declaration of the Presidents of Eastern  Partnership countries held inMay 2015 in Riga contained a reference  to this issue. Due to joining the agreement Armenia will enter  aviation market of 36 countries and use standards of security and  service of European Common Aviation Area in Armenia, which in turn  will lead to development of business and investments, Nazaryan added. 

In December 2015 Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of  Armenia during the meeting with Federica Mogherini, High  Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security  Policy, stated that Armenia is ready to sign Common Aviation Area  Agreement with the EU. Within the recent months Yerevan has  repeatedly stressed its interest in soonest launch of negotiations.  On May 17 First Deputy Economy Minister of Armenia Garegin Melkonyan  informed that Armenia appealed to the EU for launching talks for the  given agreement. However, later Deputy Economy Minister of Armenia  Garegin Melkonyan told ArmInfo's correspondent that the deadline of  launch of negotiations on Armenia's joining European Common Aviation  Area has been extended. 

Immediately after receiving the mandate European Commission will be  authorized to start negotiations with Yerevan, Armenia will be given  the draft agreement, which will be the basis of the negotiations.   According to the representative of the economy ministry the  negotiations will not last long, as there already exists the model  format of cooperation with all the countries. 

The document will lift the restrictions on the flights of foreign  airline to Armenia and the Armenian ones to the EU countries. This  will help offering conditions that are more attractive to European  companies in Armenia and in the Armenian town of Gyumri. In addition,  liberalization will ensure fair competition at the international  level, through state support and regulation of standards. From  Eastern Partnership countries Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine have  jointed the common European aviation area.  By joining European  Common Aviation Area Armenia will receive an opportunity to integrate  into European aviation market, and become an important transit  country in air transport.