NSC chief: Customs Union offers more benefits than DCFTA

September 6, 2013 - 18:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - According to Artur Baghdasaryan, joining the Customs Union will not hinder political association with the EU.

“Cooperation with Europe brought us reforms in judiciary sector, human rights protection, and civil society-building. We have no intention to stop cooperation, with European values of great importance to us,” he told a news conference, according to Armenian media.

Commenting on the economic aspect of the association with the EU, Baghdasaryan noted that the deep and comprehensive free-trade agreement (DCFTA) will not give Armenia the same benefits as the CU.

“We carefully studied Armenia’s export potential as well as the CU’s tariff rates. We concluded that Armenia’s export is more oriented towards the CU member states,” he said.

Armenia completed technical talks on a ‘deep and comprehensive free-trade agreement' (DCFTA) with the EU in July and it was set to be signed at a summit with the EU in late November.

In addition to a free-trade deal, Armenia has been working towards the signing of an Association Agreement with the EU, a framework agreement on cooperation that is seen as a first step towards political integration with the EU.

Nevertheless, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian leader Serzh Sargsyan said Armenia is ready to join Customs Union, with further plans to be involved in formation of Eurasian Economic Union, thus arousing indignation of European officials.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt described Armenia’s intention as a U-turn in relations with the European Union. “Seems as if Armenia will break talks on free trade agreement with EU and integrate with Russia instead,” he said on his Twitter account.

Linas Linkevicius, the Foreign Minister of Lithuania, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said Armenia “has blocked its chances of signing a free trade deal with the European Union by choosing to join the Russia-led union.”

However, later the European Commission issued a statement saying that “the Association Agreement (including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area) with Armenia can be compatible with economic cooperation with the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.”

Eastern Partnership

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is the first comprehensive initiative introduced into the system of the European Union’s external relations, addressed to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Eastern Partnership is designed to help the countries of Eastern Europe and South Caucasus with their approximation to and integration with the European Union. The EaP has injected a new quality into relations between the EU and the countries covered by the initiative through their gradual integration with the European Union.