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New Europe
Dec 15 2013
EU grants Yerevan access to its Agencies and Programmes
15.12.2013 - 20:19
On December 11, the European Parliament gave its consent to the
participation of Armenia in EU agencies and programmes, adopting the
report drafted by Member of the European Parliament Tomasz Poreba on
this issue, a press release read. In particular Armenia will have
access to the EU world leading programs in the fields of culture,
education, environment, and science. Armenian civil servants will be
integrated into EU agencies such as aviation security, medicine and
environment, and this on all levels.
`Participants of the Vilnius summit discussed the best way to promote
and shape the EU-Armenia co-operation, while respecting Armenia
complementary foreign policy and its integration into the Customs
Union. Granting Armenia access to EU Agencies and Programmes, reserved
to date mostly to EU member states, is a very concrete step in the
right direction and will allow Armenia to reap financial and
administrative benefits vital for the country's modernisation. I think
this is a more than encouraging signal from both sides to keep moving
forward in concrete terms, with benefits for everyone involved,' EuFoA
Secretary General Michael Kambeck said. The European Parliament report
underlines that it was Armenia which requested access to the EU
Programmes and Agencies, and that the EU with this initiative aims to
promote the modernisation in the country.
Along the same lines of the Vilnius declaration, the report clearly
states that, `it will permit the gradual opening of or reinforced
participation in certain Union programmes for Armenia, offering an
opportunity to promote further cultural, educational, environmental,
technical and scientific links, enhancing people-to-people contacts
and sectorial cooperation, in addition to the strengthening of the
political and relations through the Eastern Partnership.' Armenia may,
in particular, be able to join EU programmes, such as LIFE, on
environment and climate action, with a 3.29 billion budget for the
period 2014-2020; HORIZON 2020, on knowledge, innovation and
sustainable development, with 70.2 billion euro budget for the same
period; or the well-known ERASMUS PLUS, among others, as long as their
statutes and objectives permit for such participation, a financial
contribution is made, and a memorandum of understanding is signed by
both parties.
In addition, Armenian officials will be integrated into the management
of those programmes and into EU Agencies, such as the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European Environment Agency (EEA),
the European Medicines Agency (EMA), etc, thus gaining expertise and
skills of world leading agencies in their fields which can then be
transferred to their national administration.
In Vilnius, the EU and Armenia, however, did not initial an
Association Agreement due to `Armenia's new international
commitments'. In September, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
announced the decision to join the Russian-led Customs Union.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius stated on 9 December
that after becoming a member of the Customs Union, Armenia is not
qualified to receive the EU association membership at the same time.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/eu-grants-yerevan-access-its-agencies-and-programmes
Dec 15 2013
EU grants Yerevan access to its Agencies and Programmes
15.12.2013 - 20:19
On December 11, the European Parliament gave its consent to the
participation of Armenia in EU agencies and programmes, adopting the
report drafted by Member of the European Parliament Tomasz Poreba on
this issue, a press release read. In particular Armenia will have
access to the EU world leading programs in the fields of culture,
education, environment, and science. Armenian civil servants will be
integrated into EU agencies such as aviation security, medicine and
environment, and this on all levels.
`Participants of the Vilnius summit discussed the best way to promote
and shape the EU-Armenia co-operation, while respecting Armenia
complementary foreign policy and its integration into the Customs
Union. Granting Armenia access to EU Agencies and Programmes, reserved
to date mostly to EU member states, is a very concrete step in the
right direction and will allow Armenia to reap financial and
administrative benefits vital for the country's modernisation. I think
this is a more than encouraging signal from both sides to keep moving
forward in concrete terms, with benefits for everyone involved,' EuFoA
Secretary General Michael Kambeck said. The European Parliament report
underlines that it was Armenia which requested access to the EU
Programmes and Agencies, and that the EU with this initiative aims to
promote the modernisation in the country.
Along the same lines of the Vilnius declaration, the report clearly
states that, `it will permit the gradual opening of or reinforced
participation in certain Union programmes for Armenia, offering an
opportunity to promote further cultural, educational, environmental,
technical and scientific links, enhancing people-to-people contacts
and sectorial cooperation, in addition to the strengthening of the
political and relations through the Eastern Partnership.' Armenia may,
in particular, be able to join EU programmes, such as LIFE, on
environment and climate action, with a 3.29 billion budget for the
period 2014-2020; HORIZON 2020, on knowledge, innovation and
sustainable development, with 70.2 billion euro budget for the same
period; or the well-known ERASMUS PLUS, among others, as long as their
statutes and objectives permit for such participation, a financial
contribution is made, and a memorandum of understanding is signed by
both parties.
In addition, Armenian officials will be integrated into the management
of those programmes and into EU Agencies, such as the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European Environment Agency (EEA),
the European Medicines Agency (EMA), etc, thus gaining expertise and
skills of world leading agencies in their fields which can then be
transferred to their national administration.
In Vilnius, the EU and Armenia, however, did not initial an
Association Agreement due to `Armenia's new international
commitments'. In September, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
announced the decision to join the Russian-led Customs Union.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius stated on 9 December
that after becoming a member of the Customs Union, Armenia is not
qualified to receive the EU association membership at the same time.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/eu-grants-yerevan-access-its-agencies-and-programmes