168 Zham Newspaper: What is European Union

The goal of the European Window series of articles published by 168 Hours newspaper and www.168.am web site is to provide Armenian readers detailed and understandable information concerning the process of European integration, the European institutions involved in this process as well as the political and civic life in Europe. The European Window series of articles also covers information concerning the European Neighborhood Policy Instrument (ENPI) and the projects to be implemented in Armenia in its frame . The European Window also serves as a platform for opinions and viewpoints concerning all aspects of interaction between Armenia and the EU.

Editorial

With this publication the 168 Hours, in support of the European Commission, is starting series of publications aimed at presenting Armenia’s relations with the European values and family. Every month on last Friday the 168 Hours will cover the level of involvement of European institutions in state and society sectors, projects implemented by the Armenian government and civic society representatives in support of such institutions and generally the role of Europe in Armenia. The mentioned series of articles will cover both informative publications and ideas of both local and European experts concerning different issues. The topics will be selected according to the level of importance in the framework of Armenia’s cooperation with Europe. The purpose of the European Window series of articles is to make information about Europe, European Policy and priorities concerning developing countries, Armenia as well, available to readers. What are the practical benefits of Armenia’s integration with Europe? What are the short-term and long-term goals? Certainly we will also focus on the European Eastern Partnership project, which will shift the relations between Armenia and the EU to a new level. What are the roles of European institutions and Europe in supporting democratic freedoms and institutions in Armenia? How will affect the changes, which seem to be mere declarative from first glance, on the lives of ordinary citizens of Armenia? What are the perspectives of life quality improvement and economic development as a result of the Euro-integration process? What problems does Europe have now? What are the challenges of Europe and European countries? What are the ways for fighting such challenges jointly? In every publication of the European Window articles we will try to find answers to the above mentioned questions.

Number one economic partner

In Armenia the phrase “Schengen visa” is considered the first requirement of entering Europe. In the society the mentioned visa is considered as an opportunity of free travel in the EU states and therefore an opportunity to do free business. However, despite the current strict regulations of visa issuance the EU still has a great importance in terms of trade for Armenia. The EU-Armenia economic relations started in 1991, right after the independence of Armenia. It’s worth mentioning that in those relations the prevailing element was the provision of financial, technical and humanitarian aid on part of the EU – since 1991 the support of the European Commission to Armenia amounted to 380 million Euros. The humanitarian aid amounted to approximately 120 million Euros and had conduced to the relief of the hard situation formed in Armenia ever since 1991. Only the financial means provided to Armenia in the framework of the TACIS and Food Provision programs amounted to 200 million Euros. Since the independence of Armenia the TACIS contributed Armenia in the transition of market economy. Mostly this support was in the judicial and regulatory fields though helping Armenia become a member of the World Trade Organization.

Europe closer and more open

Interview with the chairman of the NA standing committee on European integration Avet Adonts
By Lilit SEYRANYAN

- Which are the priorities of Armenian the relations with the European community?

- The priorities of Armenia in relations with the EU are reflected in the Armenia-EU action plan elaborated in the framework of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and Policy of European Neighborhood. The implementation of this action plan mostly has a purpose of contributing to the development of political institutions, regional stability and deepening of cooperation, strengthening of democracy, development of economy and completion of the transition phase to the market economy.

- What level of relations with the EU does Armenia strive for in the long-run?

- Our relations with the EU are developing progressively and consistently. In 1999 the agreement on partnership and cooperation signed in 1996 became acting. Several years after that Armenia became a member of the European neighborhood policy. This means that the economic, political relations of Armenia with the EU became even more developed. This year we are planning to progress the inter-relations with the EU, which will be done through the Eastern Partnership program. In the med-term we are expecting to deepen political dialog and economic collaboration, which will cause economic growth, harmonization of the legislation, poverty reduction and protection of the environment. As of the long-term cooperation it is desirable that the EU becomes more open and closer to Armenia and Armenia in its turn must be more developed and progressive in terms of its legislation and practice of law as well as more flexible in terms of economic relations and business conduct. Armenia should conform to the European criteria of market economy.

- In the near future a commission of the launch of the EU Eastern Partnership program will be formed. What does Armenia expect from that?

- Yes, in May the new format of the EU Eastern Partnership program will launch in Prague. The agenda of this new initiative includes such key issues as the signature of the free trade agreement, facilitation of visas, higher level financial cooperation, and increase of the level of regional relations. There is also another objective that I signify. The Eastern partnership anticipates not only deeper EU-Armenia relations but also high-level cooperation between the member states of the program. This structure must be definitely directed to cooperation and must be objective.

- Can the GSP+ privileged program be applied practically for Armenia in the event of close ties with the EU?

- The free trade regime with the EU will be practiced only after signing the trade agreement. The GSP is a high-rank trade regime; however it is not an absolutely free trade regime. In order to have the GSP+ regime Armenia has been closely cooperate with the European Commission. As a result of this there will be zero customs payment for certain items. It means there will be a free trade regime for those goods. I am sure in order to productively use the GSP+ regime our businessmen must receive proper information. They should also be taught how to apply it.

- To what extent do the issues, which exist between Armenia and the Council of Europe, impede the relations with the EU?

- The essence of Armenia’s relations with the EU and the Council of Europe drastically differ. Besides that the format of cooperation with these organizations drastically differs. We are considered a full member of the Council of Europe. It means we participate in all the activities of the structure and we are partners with the EU. And these partnership relations develop without political grounds.

Euro Union resulted from uniting coal and steel

By Babken TUNYAN

Even though Armenia became a member of different European institutions shortly after getting independence, still our society does not have a clear understanding of the united Europe. It is observed in information field as well: there are people who still don’t know what the difference between the Euro Union and European commission is. This fact results in lack of a clear understanding of the mentioned European institutions, thus the role of Europe as one unit. Accordingly, we will bring some information on the structure and main activities of the Euro Union.

The European Union is a specific economic and political cooperation, which unites European 27 democratic states. These are the countries, which have signed the agreement on European Union (the Maastricht agreement). The European Union is an international organization with specific characteristics of an international organization and state. However, formally the EU’s structure is neither of the mentioned ones. The starting point of the European integration process is considered the resolution of French foreign affairs minister Robert Schuman (May 9, 1950), which suggested to establish the European coal and iron community (ECIU). The founding agreement of this institution was signed by the following six countries: France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and Italy. The mentioned document was signed on April 18, 1951. This is considered to be the first phase of the establishment of the incumbent European Union. The integration of coal and metallurgy opened a new way for the other fields of the economy and integration, as a result of which on March 25, 1957, the ECIU countries signed the agreement of setting up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community. The biggest role in setting up and developing the mentioned three institutions vested in the EEC, the main goal of which was the foundation of a customs union and common market to provide free movement of people, goods, capital and services in the member countries. The countries having signed the agreement took the responsibility to harmonize their economic policies and legislations. Throughout the development of the EEC other countries joined this institution as the following: the Great Britain, Denmark and Ireland in 1973, Greece in 1981, Spain and Portugal in 1986, Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995, Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czeck and Estonia in 2004, Bulgary and Romania in 2007.

In fact, the process of the EEC formation proceeded in several phases.

1957-1968. Formation of the free trade zone. Customs fees, quotas and other limitations between the member states were raised.

1968-1987. Customs union. Common customs regime and trade policy in relations to relationships with third countries.

1987-1992. Common inner market. Free movement of labor, capital and services.

1992-2002. Economic and currency unity. Common monetary policy and common currency (Euro).

During the European community enlargement process, on February 7, 1992, an important document was signed in Maastricht city of Holland, which was the beginning of the European Union.

Currently the EU is in a process of reformation too. On the one hand the EU is improving the economic cooperation mechanisms with the EU and neighboring countries, on the other hand it is improving the so-called political system of the EU, specifically the European Constitution. The treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was signed in Rome on October 20, 2004. However currently the adoption of the European Constitution depends on the agreement signed in Lisbon on December 13, 2007, which is the simple version of the first document. The adoption of the European Constitution is still in process and we will bring details about this process in our future publications of the European Window.

The Euro Union being an interim way

By Lilit SEYRANYAN

The cooperation of Armenia with Europe is extended and is implemented in several directions.

One of the political components of the cooperation is the relations between Armenia and the Council of Europe (CoE), which can be considered as an interim way leading Armenia toward Europe.  There are people in Armenia who think that the Armenian-European relations and the relations between Armenia and the CoE are the same. Even sometimes it becomes a topic of discussion. For example, there is a flying word in Armenia already which says that “the Council of Europe is not the Political Bureau for us”. Such things are mainly said when Armenia fails to fulfill any responsibilities against the CoE. Armenia became a full member of the CoE in 2003. By becoming a member of the CoE Armenia took a number of responsibilities to improve democratic freedoms, form the corresponding institutions and infrastructures, settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict peacefully, etc. It means that Armenia’s policies have been monitored by the CoE since 2003. In this period there have been many legislative and institutional changes in Armenia, some of which have become a topic of discussions in the society (for example, cancellation of the law on execution, alternative military service, et.). Besides that, the Armenian society is very politicized, which is becoming more evident in the periods of elections, when different European institutions are monitoring the electoral procedures and making the findings and results available to the public (for instance, the reports of the OSCE/ODIHR). Such things influence Armenia’s relations with the CoE as well. This connection really exists. Even more it is very important in this phase because since the presidential election 2008 and aftermath events have become a precondition in the relationships between Armenia and the CoE. There were such problems after the presidential election 2003 as well, when the issue of imposing punishments on Armenia by the PACE was discussed. It did not happen due to interim solutions. The relations with the PACE after the presidential election of February 19, 2008, and the events resulted from such elections were more complicated than Armenia’s relations with the CoE in 2003. After the mentioned presidential election 2008 the PACE adopted three resolutions on Armenia (1609, 1620, 1643), which suggested solutions to work out the political crisis in Armenia. As a result of failure to fulfill the requirements of the mentioned resolutions on part of Armenia the PACE recommended to deprive Armenia of the voting right during the PACE session in January. However it did not happen and Armenia was given another chance to correct the situation till the PACE session in April. Thus, the PACE will discuss the issue on Armenia’s fulfillment of the resolution requirements during the PACE Monitoring Commission session to take place in Valencia on March 31. As a result of the mentioned session the Monitoring Commission will give a warranty to the PACE, which will play a key role in defining the future relations of the CoE with Armenia. This is the best example to prove that the CoE has an interim role in the relations between Armenia and Europe.

May 7

During the Euro Union summit in Brussels on May 20 the leaders of the 27 EU countries adopted the Eastern partnership project aimed at strengthening closer cooperation with six post-soviet states: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. The EU’s resolution writes that the main objective of the project is the following: “Strengthen stability, good governance and economic development in countries having a strategic significance to the EU”. For the countries covered in the project it can provide a regime of free trade, economic support and advisory support in defense and security issues. It is not excluded that the visa regime may be weakened for the countries covered in the project. The EU will provide additional 600 mln Euro for the project, which will officially start during the summit to take place in Prague. The next publication of the European Window will be fully dedicated to the Eastern partnership Project.

The EU’s official slogan is Unity in Diversity (In varietate concordia). The EU’s anthem is from the melody of the Ninth Symphony composed in 1823 by Ludwig Van Beethoven. The EU covers 4.89 million square meters territory. The political centers of the EU are Brussels, Strasburg, Luxemburg, Hague and Frankfurt am Main. The population of the EU is 499.6 million.