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EU INDEX: ARMENIA FOURTH IN INTEGRATION
http://www.armenianow.com/news/49414/armenia_european_union_integration_index_customs_u nion
NEWS | 22.10.13 | 15:39
Photolure
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
By the 2013 results of the European Integration Index for Eastern
Partnership Countries, Armenia came fourth among the six countries.
Presenting the third European Integration Index results, Ukrainian
International Renaissance Foundation's Olga Kvashuk told the press on
Tuesday in Yerevan that Moldova is the leader in terms of European
integration, second comes Georgia, then the Ukraine, then Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Belarus.
It is noteworthy that Moldova and Georgia will be signing their
respective Association Agreements with the EU during the upcoming
Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius next month, while the Ukraine's
signing is undecided, for as long as the country's former Prime
Minister Yulia Timoshenko remains imprisoned (Timoshenko's release is
one of the EU's pre-conditions for signing the agreement). Armenia,
as it is known, will not be inking the Associations Agreement after
almost four years of negotiations, because of the decision to join
the Customs Union.
The European Integration Index for Eastern Partnership Countries is
a tool of civil society monitoring and serves as a speedometer of
European integration for EAP countries.
There are three dimensions of evaluation. 1. Linkage: growing
political, economic and social ties between each of the six EAP
countries and EU; 2. Approximation: legislation, practices and
institutions in the EAP countries converging towards EU standards
and in line with EU requirements; 3. Management: evolving management
structures and polices in the EAP countries that aim at further
European integration.
"Armenia made good progress towards the EU last year. Despite being
fourth in Linkage, it comes third in Approximation. The country
improved its scores in all three dimensions, especially in Management
where it reached almost the same level as Ukraine".
Traian Hristea, Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, present at the
introduction of the index, said in his speech that although Armenia
and the EU won't be signing the Associations Agreement, the EU is
looking for ways to continue its successful cooperation and develop
the partnership relations.
"Considering Armenia's decision to join the Customs Union civil
society relations have become even more important and we will continue
supporting the civil society", said Hristea.
National Coordinator of the Eastern Partnerships' Civil Society
Platform Boris Navasardyan predicts that in the fourth index of
European integration Armenia will have even less progress because of
having traded the pro-Europe vector for the Customs Union.
"In particular, both by the approximation and project management
parameters we will show regress, as for the linkage, I cannot say
for sure, because at least in that one direction - which is the
facilitation of the visa process with EU - we have a document signed,"
he says.
http://www.armenianow.com/news/49414/armenia_european_union_integration_index_customs_u nion
NEWS | 22.10.13 | 15:39
Photolure
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
By the 2013 results of the European Integration Index for Eastern
Partnership Countries, Armenia came fourth among the six countries.
Presenting the third European Integration Index results, Ukrainian
International Renaissance Foundation's Olga Kvashuk told the press on
Tuesday in Yerevan that Moldova is the leader in terms of European
integration, second comes Georgia, then the Ukraine, then Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Belarus.
It is noteworthy that Moldova and Georgia will be signing their
respective Association Agreements with the EU during the upcoming
Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius next month, while the Ukraine's
signing is undecided, for as long as the country's former Prime
Minister Yulia Timoshenko remains imprisoned (Timoshenko's release is
one of the EU's pre-conditions for signing the agreement). Armenia,
as it is known, will not be inking the Associations Agreement after
almost four years of negotiations, because of the decision to join
the Customs Union.
The European Integration Index for Eastern Partnership Countries is
a tool of civil society monitoring and serves as a speedometer of
European integration for EAP countries.
There are three dimensions of evaluation. 1. Linkage: growing
political, economic and social ties between each of the six EAP
countries and EU; 2. Approximation: legislation, practices and
institutions in the EAP countries converging towards EU standards
and in line with EU requirements; 3. Management: evolving management
structures and polices in the EAP countries that aim at further
European integration.
"Armenia made good progress towards the EU last year. Despite being
fourth in Linkage, it comes third in Approximation. The country
improved its scores in all three dimensions, especially in Management
where it reached almost the same level as Ukraine".
Traian Hristea, Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, present at the
introduction of the index, said in his speech that although Armenia
and the EU won't be signing the Associations Agreement, the EU is
looking for ways to continue its successful cooperation and develop
the partnership relations.
"Considering Armenia's decision to join the Customs Union civil
society relations have become even more important and we will continue
supporting the civil society", said Hristea.
National Coordinator of the Eastern Partnerships' Civil Society
Platform Boris Navasardyan predicts that in the fourth index of
European integration Armenia will have even less progress because of
having traded the pro-Europe vector for the Customs Union.
"In particular, both by the approximation and project management
parameters we will show regress, as for the linkage, I cannot say
for sure, because at least in that one direction - which is the
facilitation of the visa process with EU - we have a document signed,"
he says.