European Parliament Trade Committee Backs Temporary Tariff Relief for Armenian Goods

BRUSSELS — The European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) has approved the temporary suspension of customs duties on a broad range of goods imported from Armenia into the European Union, amid trade restrictions imposed by Russia on Armenian exports.

The European Commission’s proposal was approved without amendments on September 3 by a vote of 35 in favor, two against and three abstentions.

Under the proposal, the European Union would suspend tariffs on a number of Armenian products for a period of two years.

Duty-free import quotas would also be established for eight categories of Armenian agricultural products, including grapes, apricots, cherries, peaches and cucumbers.

The proposal also includes safeguard mechanisms that would allow the EU to intervene if a sharp increase in imports from Armenia were to have a negative impact on European producers.

The measure follows restrictions imposed by Russia beginning in May 2026 on several key categories of Armenian exports. The restrictions particularly affect alcoholic beverages, mineral water, fruits and vegetables, as well as their transit through Russian territory.

According to the European Commission, the restrictions have disrupted Armenia’s traditional supply chains and significantly reduced the country’s access to established export markets. The situation has had an especially severe impact on small and medium-sized enterprises and agricultural producers, while also creating challenges for Armenia’s economic resilience.

The EU views the initiative as a temporary measure aimed at supporting Armenia’s economy and creating additional opportunities for Armenian exporters to access the European market.

The proposal is expected to be put to a vote during the European Parliament’s September plenary session in Strasbourg.

Following approval by the European Parliament, formal endorsement by the Council of the European Union will also be required. The regulation would enter into force the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

On September 2, the Council of the European Union approved the proposal for temporary trade-liberalization measures for Armenian products and forwarded it to the European Parliament for approval.