Free trade not to be discussed by Armenia and European Union
21.10.2015,
17:52
The new framework agreement that Armenia and the European Union are expected to sign will not include a provision on the mutual zero customs duties.
YEREVAN, 21 October. / ARKA /. The new framework agreement that Armenia and the European Union are expected to sign will not include a provision on the mutual zero customs duties that was in the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) that Armenia and EU were supposed to sign in 2013 before Armenia’s unexpected announcement in September 2013 that it was going to become part of a Russian-led Customs Union.
According to First Deputy Minister of Economy Garegin Melkonyan, that provision can not be applied; however, other provisions of DCFTA on intellectual property protection, infrastructure, quality, transparency, competition, customs regulation and others, will be negotiated with the EU, albeit with some changes.
Speaking at a discussion today on the new framework agreement with the EU, Melkonyan said discussions with the EU cooperation have been running since the beginning of the year to determine the scope of further cooperation.
"The discussions have formed a common understanding of what may be included in the new agreement. The Association Agreement consisted of political, legal and economic parts, in addition to the DCFTA. Our goal now is to preserve as much as possible the depth and comprehensiveness of cooperation areas, and be careful to exclude wordings that will run counter to our obligations to other international organizations,’ he said.
According to Melkonyan, Yerevan also expects to reach agreement on all 28 points regarding the economy that were in the previous negotiated but unsigned Association Agreement.
On October 12 the EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new legal basis for relations with Armenia. -0-
According to First Deputy Minister of Economy Garegin Melkonyan, that provision can not be applied; however, other provisions of DCFTA on intellectual property protection, infrastructure, quality, transparency, competition, customs regulation and others, will be negotiated with the EU, albeit with some changes.
Speaking at a discussion today on the new framework agreement with the EU, Melkonyan said discussions with the EU cooperation have been running since the beginning of the year to determine the scope of further cooperation.
"The discussions have formed a common understanding of what may be included in the new agreement. The Association Agreement consisted of political, legal and economic parts, in addition to the DCFTA. Our goal now is to preserve as much as possible the depth and comprehensiveness of cooperation areas, and be careful to exclude wordings that will run counter to our obligations to other international organizations,’ he said.
According to Melkonyan, Yerevan also expects to reach agreement on all 28 points regarding the economy that were in the previous negotiated but unsigned Association Agreement.
On October 12 the EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new legal basis for relations with Armenia. -0-
