Tuesday, September 25 2018 14:05

ArmInfo.Over the past 3 years, exports from Armenia to the EU under the GSP + trade  preferences regime have more than doubled. This was stated by the  head of the EU delegation to Armenia Piotr Switalsky on September 25  during the first meeting of the EU-Armenia Committee on Trade  Cooperation.

"The European market is the largest for Armenia. Being the second  partner of the country for import, we are in fact the second largest  investor for Armenia. Undoubtedly, the dynamics of the development of  foreign trade turnover is also encouraging, which means that the EU  is the most dynamic partner for Armenia. However, we all perfectly  understand that the potential of trade relations between Armenia and  the EU is at the level, of course, higher than currently used. We  want to see more European companies and investments in Armenia, "he  stressed.

The holding of the first meeting, according to the EU Ambassador,  will be the beginning of the development of new processes of  cooperation, in particular, will start new transformations. As  priorities of the meeting, Switalsky identified issues related to the  opening of the potential of Armenia's trade relations with the EU. In  particular, he stressed that the process of trade liberalization  between the RA and the EU is due to the provisions specified in the  Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the  European Union, which provides for improving the legislative  framework, expanding opportunities in public procurement, protection  consumer rights, etc., which will be implemented during the  implementation of the agreement.

In his turn, Petros Surmelis, Head of the European Commission (EC)  Directorate General for Trade, stated that the main purpose of the  visit of the EU delegation is the implementation of reforms in  Armenia that will contribute to the creation of a favorable  investment and business environment.

Answering the question of ArmInfo P. Surmelis stressed that the  reforms touched the regulatory field. He noted that at the moment a  new regulation is being developed, realizing that the business will  be provided with equal competitive conditions. "The main goal is to  ensure equal competitive conditions for enterprises that are fully or  partially state property and the private sector, especially for  representatives of newly created innovative companies," he said.

Speaking about the development of trade relations, P. Surmelis noted  that, in general, the indicators on mutual trade between the EU  countries and Armenia are encouraging, but there are some gaps  regarding certain commodity groups. In this context, he noted the  lack of volume of agricultural products exported from Armenia. "But  this gap is being gradually filled up," he stressed.

 Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investments of the  Republic of Armenia Manet Adamyan noted that Armenia should implement  a number of reforms, for the purpose of which a road map was drawn  up, in which forthcoming steps are indicated. Answering the question  of ArmInfo, she noted that to date the problems of Armenian  entrepreneurs concerning the implementation of trade in the EU cover  a wide range of issues. As key, the deputy head of the department  named the quality of infrastructures. According to her, for the  Armenian business there is the GSP + regime, which allows exporting  over 6,000 items of goods in a preferential mode, but Armenian  producers are not yet able to take advantage of this, since their  products do not yet meet the standards set in the EU.

To note, during the first closed meeting of the EU-Armenia Committee  on Trade Cooperation, participants will discuss issues that are  included in the CEPA and are aimed at promoting trade, in particular  customs, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, intellectual property  rights, competition and government procurement.  The discussion also  includes a number of issues of mutual interest.  According to the  National Statistical Service of Armenia, the foreign trade turnover  between Armenia and the EU for January-July of this year exceeded $ 1  billion, which is 36.1% more than the indicator of the previous year.  In particular, exports increased by 22% to $ 432.4mn. , with an  increase in imports of 47.8% to $ 633.3 million. The European Union  ranked second in the list of Armenia's trade partners, with a share  of 26%, somewhat behind the EEA, whose share was 26.4%.