On 14 July, EuFoA hosted a roundtable briefing on the Democratic development of NK and the legislative elections observation mission by the NK Group in the EP. The event's keynote speaker was Mr Frank Engel MEP, head of this EOM.   After a short introduction by EuFoA Director Mr Lorenzo Ochoa, Mr Engel took the floor to present the full report of the parliamentary elections of 3 May 2015 (it is available for download here). A lively debate among the participants followed his... Read more

Following an invitation by Mr Ashot Ghulyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Nagorno-Karabakh Group in the European Parliament decided to send a delegation to observe the legislative elections in Nagorno-Karabakh scheduled for 3 May 2015. The delegation was headed by Mr Frank Engel MEP, President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Group in the European Parliament, and was composed of several MEPs and supporting staff. It represented different EU countries and... Read more

On 9 July, the European Parliament (EP) adopted a report on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The report, assessing the EU's approach towards its immediate neighbours, contains several points relevant to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.   Among others, it "calls for the ENP to be developed into a more tailor-made and flexible policy framework that is able to adapt to the diversity that exists among partner countries", while considering that the "EU should invite... Read more

During the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga on 22 May, the EU and the EaP countries have issued a joint declaration that reviewed the EaP achievements so far and mapped out its priorities and goals ahead of the next summit in 2017. Several points of the declaration concern Armenia and its future relations with Europe. European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) welcomes this declaration. "It seems that the EU and Armenia are working together to reach a common understanding on issues of... Read more

In June 2012 the Armenian National Social Housing Foundation (ASBA) signed up to facilitate the sustained development of energy efficient buildings. Just three years on and the energy efficient obligations are already under way in a number of new housing schemes, particularly in poor villages where housing is much needed. There are also many projects which have been implemented in Dilijan, and the success of the new energy efficient policy in building construction can be gathered from... Read more

Interim conclusions 04 May, 2015 Introduction Following an invitation sent by Mr. Ashot Ghulyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Artsakh Group in the European Parliament decided to send a delegation to observe the legislative elections in Nagorno-Karabakh scheduled for 03 May, 2015. Despite the non-recognised status of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and therefore, the absence of an official observation mission of the European Parliament or the... Read more

The European Movement International (EMI), a pan-European organisation promoting European integration, has adopted by unanimity a resolution on the Armenian Genocide during its Federal Assembly taking place in Riga on 24-25 April. With the adoption of this text, the European Movement is "joining its voice to over twenty states, a number of international organisations and institutions including the European Parliament (in 1987 and in 2015), the Council of Europe (in 2001), and EURONEST PA (in... Read more

On 17 April, during its annual General Assembly taking place in Bautzen, Germany, the European Free Alliance party (EFA), a pan-European political family, voted in favour of integrating the Democratic Party of Artsakh (DPA) into its ranks.   "The EFA associated membership granted today is important not only because it contributes to a further international exposure of Karabakh. It also shows that Nagorno-Karabakh's political development is in line with EU standards and that its... Read more

On 15 April 2015, the European Parliament has gathered for a mini-plenary session in Brussels. One of the texts passed was a resolution on the centennial of the Armenian Genocide. Making reference to other European texts voted on the issue in the recent years, the resolution "pays tribute, on the eve of the Centenary, to the memory of the one-and-a-half million innocent Armenian victims" and calls on Turkey "to come to terms with its past, to recognise the Armenian genocide and thus pave the... Read more

On 25 March 2015, the European Commission and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy published the 'Country Report' for Armenia, about progress in the Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy for the year 2014 and containing a set of recommendations for the future. This document reports on the progress made in the implementation of the EU-Armenia European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Action Plan between 1 January and 31 December 2014.... Read more