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ARMENIA: PROGRESS REPORT SAYS EU COMMITTED TO COOPERATION DESPITE FAILURE TO INITIAL ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT
ENPI Info Centre
March 27 2014
27-03-2014
Last year saw intensive political dialogue between the EU and
the Armenian Government, according to the European Commission's
ENP progress report on Armenia, released today. Negotiations on an
Association Agreement (AA), including a Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Area (DCFTA), were completed in July 2013, but they could not
proceed with its initialing, following Armenia's decision to apply to
join the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. "Armenia
and the EU remained nevertheless committed to further cooperation
as they jointly stated in the margins of the Vilnius Summit," the
report says.
The progress report was released by the European Commission as part of
the 2014 European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) package, which underlines
key developments and reform efforts in 2013, and makes recommendations
for the year to come.
It says Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements were both ratified
in 2013 and entered into force on 1 January 2014. And while Armenia
continued to address issues related to human rights and fundamental
freedoms, further work remains necessary, especially as regards the
implementation and enforcement of legislation. The report says the
February 2013 presidential elections were generally well-administrated
notwithstanding concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
Despite ongoing reforms, public mistrust of the judicial system
remained high and there was a lack of convincing results in the fight
against corruption, including in police and judiciary. Allegations
of use of torture and ill-treatment in police custody were reported.
The report makes a number of recommendations with a view to a sustained
implementation of the ENP Action Plan in 2014, including greater
cooperation with and protection of civil society, implementation
of OSCE/ODIHR recommendations on elections, reform of governance,
public administration, judiciary and law enforcement, and efforts
towards settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
http://enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=36676&id_type=1&lang_id=450
ENPI Info Centre
March 27 2014
27-03-2014
Last year saw intensive political dialogue between the EU and
the Armenian Government, according to the European Commission's
ENP progress report on Armenia, released today. Negotiations on an
Association Agreement (AA), including a Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Area (DCFTA), were completed in July 2013, but they could not
proceed with its initialing, following Armenia's decision to apply to
join the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. "Armenia
and the EU remained nevertheless committed to further cooperation
as they jointly stated in the margins of the Vilnius Summit," the
report says.
The progress report was released by the European Commission as part of
the 2014 European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) package, which underlines
key developments and reform efforts in 2013, and makes recommendations
for the year to come.
It says Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements were both ratified
in 2013 and entered into force on 1 January 2014. And while Armenia
continued to address issues related to human rights and fundamental
freedoms, further work remains necessary, especially as regards the
implementation and enforcement of legislation. The report says the
February 2013 presidential elections were generally well-administrated
notwithstanding concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
Despite ongoing reforms, public mistrust of the judicial system
remained high and there was a lack of convincing results in the fight
against corruption, including in police and judiciary. Allegations
of use of torture and ill-treatment in police custody were reported.
The report makes a number of recommendations with a view to a sustained
implementation of the ENP Action Plan in 2014, including greater
cooperation with and protection of civil society, implementation
of OSCE/ODIHR recommendations on elections, reform of governance,
public administration, judiciary and law enforcement, and efforts
towards settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
http://enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=36676&id_type=1&lang_id=450