Implementation of CEPA Agreement Will Give New Impetus to Armenia-EU Relations

YEREVAN — On March 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ara Aivazian had a phone conversation with European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, the Foreign Ministry reported.

It said the interlocutors discussed in detail a number of issues on the Armenia-EU partnership agenda.

Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian and the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi conveyed their congratulations upon the entry into force of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), expressing confidence that it will give a new impetus to Armenia-EU relations.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the EU Commissioner exchanged views on the post-2020 vision of the Eastern Partnership, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the integrity and inclusiveness of this initiative.

During the phone conversation the sides also touched upon issues of regional security and stability.  Both sides stressed the importance of providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Artsakh on the ground.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs specifically emphasized the imperative for the implementation of the humanitarian obligations enshrined in the trilateral statement of November 9, particularly, the repatriation of prisoners of war and other people detained.

The Agreement was signed in November 2017 and substantial parts of have been provisionally applied since 1 June 2018. Since then, the breadth and depth of the bilateral cooperation between Armenia and the European Union have advanced steadily. At the 3rd EU-Armenia Partnership Council held on 17 December 2020, the European Union and Armenia reiterated their full commitment to implementing the CEPA.

The Agreement plays an important role for the modernization of Armenia, in particular through legislative approximation to EU norms in many sectors. This includes reforms in the rule of law and respect of human rights, particularly an independent, efficient and accountable justice system, as well as reforms aimed at enhancing the responsiveness and effectiveness of public institutions and at favoring the conditions for sustainable and inclusive development.

From the entry into force of the Agreement on 1 March, cooperation will be strengthened in those areas which to date were not subject to the provisional application of the Agreement. The European Union stands ready and looks forward to working even more closely with Armenia on the full and effective implementation of the Agreement, in our mutual interest and to the benefit of our societies and citizens.