ArmInfo.At its 19th session, the Government of Armenia approved a draft decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia "On approving the grant agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the Yerevan Customs and Logistics Center project in the amount of ?6 million."
As stated in the explanatory note to the document, a grant agreement (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement) was signed between the Republic of Armenia and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on September 19, 2025, for the construction of a customs and logistics center in Yerevan for the needs of the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia (SRC), providing for the allocation of ?6 million to the Republic of Armenia. On the same day, an agreement was signed to allocate ?39 million in loan funds for the project (the loan funds are planned to be allocated in two tranches: Tranche 1 - ?30 million and Tranche 2 - ?9 million). At the same time, it is planned to allocate a certain amount to the Republic of Armenia in the form of a grant for technical assistance (mobilization) in the implementation of the project.
The financial resources of the loan and grant agreements do not include co-financing from the Government of the Republic of Armenia, which will be used to pay VAT in the Republic of Armenia. The amount of co- financing of the loan and grant funds from the Government of the Republic of Armenia will be 9 million euros, of which 7.8 million euros will be in the form of loan funds (Tranche 1 - 6 million and Tranche 2 - 1.8 million), and 1.2 million euros will be in the form of grant funds.
The grant funds stipulated by the Agreement will be used for the construction of the free economic zone center in Yerevan and the acquisition of equipment, while the loan funds will be used for the construction of the free economic zone center in Yerevan, the acquisition of goods and services, and the provision of consulting services.
The project includes the construction of a foreign economic activity center and an administrative building for the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia (the construction costs of the administrative building will be covered by the Republic of Armenia's state budget). The center will house 13.5 hectares of land, and its infrastructure, while 5.6 hectares will be allocated for administrative buildings and their infrastructure.
These Free Economic Zone centers will house all import and export processes. These core processes will be based on electronic systems and software solutions. These centers will house all government agencies and private organizations that provide the necessary import and export permits. The creation of the Yerevan Customs and Logistics Center will enable Free Economic Zone participants to provide high-quality services and ensure the necessary efficiency of customs control. The following are planned for construction in the center of the Free Economic Zone:
- a warehouse (with a solar power plant on the roof) and an inspection and unloading building - approximately 9,000 square meters;
- a service hall and administrative section of the Free Economic Zone center - 2 underground (shelters) and 2 above-ground floors - approximately 2,100 square meters;
- a car park - for 408 cars;
- a daily fire-fighting storage facility and pumping station for the entire center - approximately 1,000 square meters;
- a two-story laboratory - with a total area of 700 square meters;
- a platform for radiation screening devices, a building for the orderly and collective inspection of cargo - 2,100 square meters;
- a parking lot for restricted access vehicles - for 28 cars.
It is also planned to build the main building of the Committee with an area of 34,000 square meters, a staff canteen with an area of 700 square meters, a warehouse, a boiler room, a transformer substation with an area of 1,000 square meters, a parking lot for citizens with an area of 3,000 square meters, a parking lot for employees with an area of 4,000 square meters, roads and other auxiliary buildings on the territory of the administration.
In terms of trade turnover, 80,354 (maximum 714 per day) and 70,901 (maximum 573 per day) TT IM (transport from the customs office of entry to the inland customs office) transit declarations were filed from border crossing points to temporary customs warehouses (terminals) of the customs service located in Yerevan in 2023 and 2024, respectively. At the same time, the Yerevan Customs and Logistics Center- Department carried out the control, servicing, and customs clearance of goods transported from border crossing points to temporary customs warehouses in Yerevan, with approximately 71,715 trucks in 2023 and approximately 70,017 trucks in 2024. The Yerevan Customs and Logistics Center will be located at 5 Gevorg Chaush Highway, Proshyan Village, Nairi Community, Kotayk Province of the Republic of Armenia.
The terms of the loan agreement are as follows: loan amount: ?39 million; loan currency: euro; a grant of ?6 million will be provided for the implementation of the project from the EU Neighborhood Investment Platform (EU NIP); the loan will be disbursed in two tranches: Tranche 1: ?30 million, Tranche 2: ?9 million; loan interest rate: floating; annual interest rate: 6-month Euribor + 1% margin; loan servicing payment frequency: semi-annually; a one-time fee of 1% of the loan amount, payable separately for each tranche on the effective date or disbursement date of the loan or within 7 days thereafter; Loan origination fee: 0.5% per annum, calculated on the outstanding loan amount, starting 60 days after signing the Agreement for Tranche 1 and 60 days after disbursement for Tranche 2.
Loan term: Term of Tranche 1: 15 years from the date of signing the Agreement, with a grace period of 4 years. Term of Tranche 2: 15 years from the date of disbursement, with a grace period of 4 years. The interest rate on the entire drawn and outstanding loan amount or a portion thereof may be changed from floating to fixed in accordance with EBRD procedures (minimum ?5 million). Loan term: 5 years from the date of signing the Agreement or any later date specified and communicated to the EBRD.
