Twinning launches another project to reform Armenia’s public administration

YEREVAN, March 1. /ARKA/. Armenian ministry of economy has officially announced today a call for applications for participation in the next stage of the EU’s Twinning Program as part of the European Neighborhood’s mechanism for public administration reform.

Deputy economy minister Garegin Melkonyan said the ministry, which is the national coordinator of the program, will be accepting applications from government agencies until April 20. He described Twinning Program as the most voluminous and long-term of all EU facilitation mechanisms. According to him, the next phase of the program launched today is supposed to result in implementation of two-four projects."Today we announce the next phase of the program, and all state agencies and departments may submit their proposals for discussion," The deputy minister said.

He said the next phase of the program will embrace reforms in the field of intellectual property protection. An EU expert will arrive in Armenia to provide direct assistance in the implementation of appropriate reforms in the Agency for the Protection of Intellectual Property, Police, customs and judicial systems.

Amalia Hovsepian, head of the ministry of economy department in charge of EU-funded projects, said the EU has earmarked one million euros to fund each twinning project.

Twinning program was started in Armenia in 2009.  The purpose of this mechanism is institutional reforms in public administration to bring Armenian laws in line with EU models standards. One Twinning projects in Armenia was accomplished and another 14 are in the process embracing standardization, education, management, finance, quality control of civil aviation. -0-