Thursday, 19 September 2013
Customs Union Accession Action Plan Out
A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
The government approved a program of priority actions to join the Customs Union: making an inventory of instruments applicable within the Customs Union and international treaties signed by the Republic of Armenia, considering the problems arising from Armenia’s adherence to the Customs Union and its membership of the World Trade Organization, separating the regulations into the following groups: regulations immediately acceptable to Armenia, regulations taking time to accept and regulations calling for further negotiations, translating those international instruments and legal acts necessary for ratification before joining the Customs Union etc.
The meeting approved the proposal on amendment N4 regarding the agreements signed by the governments of Armenia and the United States to improve efficiency in healthcare and welfare services, build up a more competitive and diversified private sector. The Government next approved the loan agreement signed on July 19, 2013 between the Republic of Armenia and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to the sum of U.S. $ 7 million that will be used to improve water supply in Yerevan.
The Prime Minister said he met with the U.S. Ambassador yesterday to discuss all the problems related to the signing of a new agreement with the USAID. “Those two decisions pave the way to a new agreement with the USAID, conducive to nearly USD 43 million in additional assistance,” the Premier pointed out.
The meeting went on to approve a program and a timetable for the development of e-commerce, networking and hardware procurement in Armenia.
Marz administrations were allocated AMD 50mn each from the government’s reserve fund to tackle priority issues. A total of AMD40bn has already been earmarked to that end since 2012.
Yerevan Town Hall was allocated AMD9bn to repair the pavement of streets and purchase new housing for the dwellers of damaged residential buildings in the capital city.
