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ENP PROGRESS REPORT: ARMENIA AND EU REMAIN COMMITTED TO FURTHER COOPERATION
19:36 27.03.2014
"Political dialogue with the Armenian Government was intensive in
2013. The EU and Armenia completed negotiations on an Association
Agreement (AA), including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
(DCFTA), in July 2013, but 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 EU said in the ENP Progress
Report on Armenia.
Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements were both ratified
in 2013 and entered into force on 1 January 2014. 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 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.
Armenia addressed some of the key recommendations contained in last
year's ENP progress report. It notably adopted a law on equal rights
and opportunities for men and women which, however, lacks a mechanism
for complaints. There were limited developments regarding reforms
in the public administration and in the judiciary. Nevertheless,
preparatory works were undertaken to proceed with reforms about the
electoral legislation, the fight against corruption and the Human
Rights protection.
On the basis of this year's report and with a view to sustained
implementation of the ENP Action Plan in 2014, Armenia is invited to:
cooperate with and protect civil society; investigate the cases of
attacks and intimidation of human rights defenders and ensure that
the perpetrators are brought to justice; implement the OSCE/ODIHR
recommendations concerning elections, in particular ensure a level
playing field for all candidates and avoid the use of administrative
resources for electoral purposes. Moreover, ensure pluralism in
the broadcasting media; fully investigate the deaths that occurred
during clashes following the March 2008 presidential elections and
the allegations of ill-treatment in police custody; finalise the
draft Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religion; ensure respect
for the principle of non-discrimination and adopt comprehensive
anti-discrimination legislation; continue the reform of public
administration; especially intensify the prevention of and the fight
against corruption; intensify the reform of the judiciary and the law
enforcement; strengthen the implementation of governance reforms; work
towards the earliest possible closure of the Medzamor nuclear power
plant as well as speed up the implementation of the roadmap on energy
efficiency and the target of 30 % of generated energy from renewable
sources; step up efforts towards agreement on the Madrid Principles,
as a basis for peace, in accordance with the commitments undertaken
by the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan within the Minsk Group;
refrain from actions and statements that could heighten tension and
undermine the peace process; promote an environment conducive to
progress in the conflict settlement, encourage and support related
peace-building activities; ensure unimpeded access for representatives
of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions in support of
conflict transformation activities in full complementarity with the
efforts of the Minsk Group.
Reforms initiated, carried out or delayed during 2013 in the different
areas of cooperation between the EU and Armenia are described in the
annual country report. Some of the issues reported deserve special
attention.
Despite ongoing progress in the justice sector, delivered with
support from the EU, the influence of the executive over judicial
nominations remains a concern. More reforms are necessary in terms
of access to justice
Freedoms of association and assembly were generally respected.
However, in 2013 there was an increase in reports of violence against
civil activists and human rights defenders, as well as of undue
pressure on peaceful demonstrators. Media independence remained
insufficient and there were no developments regarding pluralism in
the broadcasting media. Armenia has not developed an anti-corruption
strategy, and although the government has mentioned plans for sectorial
measures, there were no concrete developments.
The concluding round of negotiations on a DCFTA took place in July.
However, in September the President of Armenia officially announced
that Armenia would join the Russian-led Customs Union which is
incompatible with the provisions of the DCFTA. Implementation
of the EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership continued. The EU-Armenia
Readmission Agreement was signed in April and was ratified by the
Armenian National Assembly in November, together with the already
signed Visa Facilitation Agreement. Both agreements entered into
force on 1 January 2014.
The stalemate in the Minsk Process aiming at settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continued for most of 2013. However,
the Presidents of the two countries reconvened in November 2013 for
the first time since January 2012 in a summit in Vienna, mediated
by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, at which they agreed to advance
negotiations towards a peaceful settlement and to meet again in the
months ahead. An upsurge of violence along the line of contact was
nevertheless witnessed early 2014. The EU continued to give its full
support to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in their work to facilitate
a lasting settlement.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/03/27/enp-progress-report-armenia-and-eu-remain-committed-to-further-cooperation/
19:36 27.03.2014
"Political dialogue with the Armenian Government was intensive in
2013. The EU and Armenia completed negotiations on an Association
Agreement (AA), including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
(DCFTA), in July 2013, but 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 EU said in the ENP Progress
Report on Armenia.
Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements were both ratified
in 2013 and entered into force on 1 January 2014. 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 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.
Armenia addressed some of the key recommendations contained in last
year's ENP progress report. It notably adopted a law on equal rights
and opportunities for men and women which, however, lacks a mechanism
for complaints. There were limited developments regarding reforms
in the public administration and in the judiciary. Nevertheless,
preparatory works were undertaken to proceed with reforms about the
electoral legislation, the fight against corruption and the Human
Rights protection.
On the basis of this year's report and with a view to sustained
implementation of the ENP Action Plan in 2014, Armenia is invited to:
cooperate with and protect civil society; investigate the cases of
attacks and intimidation of human rights defenders and ensure that
the perpetrators are brought to justice; implement the OSCE/ODIHR
recommendations concerning elections, in particular ensure a level
playing field for all candidates and avoid the use of administrative
resources for electoral purposes. Moreover, ensure pluralism in
the broadcasting media; fully investigate the deaths that occurred
during clashes following the March 2008 presidential elections and
the allegations of ill-treatment in police custody; finalise the
draft Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religion; ensure respect
for the principle of non-discrimination and adopt comprehensive
anti-discrimination legislation; continue the reform of public
administration; especially intensify the prevention of and the fight
against corruption; intensify the reform of the judiciary and the law
enforcement; strengthen the implementation of governance reforms; work
towards the earliest possible closure of the Medzamor nuclear power
plant as well as speed up the implementation of the roadmap on energy
efficiency and the target of 30 % of generated energy from renewable
sources; step up efforts towards agreement on the Madrid Principles,
as a basis for peace, in accordance with the commitments undertaken
by the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan within the Minsk Group;
refrain from actions and statements that could heighten tension and
undermine the peace process; promote an environment conducive to
progress in the conflict settlement, encourage and support related
peace-building activities; ensure unimpeded access for representatives
of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions in support of
conflict transformation activities in full complementarity with the
efforts of the Minsk Group.
Reforms initiated, carried out or delayed during 2013 in the different
areas of cooperation between the EU and Armenia are described in the
annual country report. Some of the issues reported deserve special
attention.
Despite ongoing progress in the justice sector, delivered with
support from the EU, the influence of the executive over judicial
nominations remains a concern. More reforms are necessary in terms
of access to justice
Freedoms of association and assembly were generally respected.
However, in 2013 there was an increase in reports of violence against
civil activists and human rights defenders, as well as of undue
pressure on peaceful demonstrators. Media independence remained
insufficient and there were no developments regarding pluralism in
the broadcasting media. Armenia has not developed an anti-corruption
strategy, and although the government has mentioned plans for sectorial
measures, there were no concrete developments.
The concluding round of negotiations on a DCFTA took place in July.
However, in September the President of Armenia officially announced
that Armenia would join the Russian-led Customs Union which is
incompatible with the provisions of the DCFTA. Implementation
of the EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership continued. The EU-Armenia
Readmission Agreement was signed in April and was ratified by the
Armenian National Assembly in November, together with the already
signed Visa Facilitation Agreement. Both agreements entered into
force on 1 January 2014.
The stalemate in the Minsk Process aiming at settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continued for most of 2013. However,
the Presidents of the two countries reconvened in November 2013 for
the first time since January 2012 in a summit in Vienna, mediated
by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, at which they agreed to advance
negotiations towards a peaceful settlement and to meet again in the
months ahead. An upsurge of violence along the line of contact was
nevertheless witnessed early 2014. The EU continued to give its full
support to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in their work to facilitate
a lasting settlement.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/03/27/enp-progress-report-armenia-and-eu-remain-committed-to-further-cooperation/