YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. A European Commission's team composed of 23 experts and led by Ms Eva Synowiec from the Commission's Directorate General for Trade comes on a three-day visit to Armenia on February 17. According to the press service of the RA ministry of economy, the purpose of the visit is to map out a preparatory process for future possible negotiations of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the European Union (EU) and Armenia. During the visit the European experts will have meetings with representatives of the following Armenian ministries: the ministry of economy, the ministry of justice, the ministry of health, the ministry of nature protection, the ministry of agriculture, the ministry of finance, the ministry of labor and social issues, as well as the State Revenue Committee, the Central Bank of Armenia, the State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition, the Public Services Regulatory Commission, and some departments. Issues related to technical obstacles to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, the right of intellectual property, state procurement, protection of economic competition, sustainable development (labor and social issues, environmental protection), etc. will be discussed at the meetings. Discussions in 12 expert groups are envisaged. A sitting dedicated to the fact-finding mission of the EU will be held on February 18, during which the main goals of the fact-finding mission on EU-Armenian FTA will be presented, while the results of the work done will be finalized at the February 19 sitting. Reference: with the aim of examining the opportunity of signing a EU-Armenia FTA, the CASE independent organization (Poland) has conducted a feasibility study, based on the results of which CASE published a report in May 2008 and submitted it to the respective ministries and departments of Armenia for discussion. As a result, a package of considerations of the Armenian government has been presented to the European side. After studying the package, the European side proposed discussing with Armenia the opportunities of signing a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement, which presupposes implementation of institutional and legislative reforms in Armenia.

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