Armenian delegation meeting with EU delegation during first round of negotiations. (Source: Public Radio of Armenia)

YEREVAN (Public Radio of Armenia) — On February 15, the first round of the EU-Armenia negotiations on trade and investment issues was launched within the process of forming a new legal basis for relations between the Republic of Armenia and European Union, the Armenian Ministry of Economy informs.

The negotiations were attended by the Armenian delegation headed by the First Deputy Minister of Economy of Armenia Garegin Melkonyan. The delegation comprises representatives of Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Central Bank, as well as other organizations.

The European delegation was led by Petros Sourmelis, head of unit, Russia, CIS, Ukraine, Western Balkan, EFTA, EEA, Turkey and Central Asia, the European Commission Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE).

The negotiations were held around the fields and directions previously clarified with the European side, in particular trade of goods and services, trade protection measures, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, intellectual property rights, competition, public procurement, sustainable development, transparency, current payments and movement of capital, investment cooperation and protection, dispute settlements, etc.

Generally, the first round of negotiations is quite comprehensive and extensive. Besides the plenary session of negotiations, more than 12 meetings of the negotiating subgroups are being scheduled. During those meetings the draft texts of the corresponding directions will be discussed.

Further negotiating processes, rounds, timetable/ schedule, as well as some sectoral issues of future cooperation will also be discussed.