Armenia approves pilot product-marking program for goods

The Armenian government approved a pilot program on October 29 to introduce identification-based marking for several groups of goods.

Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) Vrezh Mkhitaryan presented the program at a Cabinet meeting, saying the pilot would run from November 1 to 30, 2026, and cover specified food products, including confectionery, semi-finished products, and frozen goods.

Mkhitaryan said the SRC would submit the results of the pilot program’s evaluation to the Prime Minister’s Office within 10 days of its completion.

“These cover five product groups: medical devices, pharmaceutical products, medical supplies and equipment; footwear; home and interior accessories; cameras, auto parts and tires; pyrotechnics, fire safety equipment, toys and bicycles; and clothing and accessories made of natural fur,” Mkhitaryan said.

He emphasized that the pilot program would allow the authorities to test the functionality of marking mechanisms and systems and refine processes during the trial phase, as well as establish effective cooperation among the SRC, the national operator, and businesses.

According to Mkhitaryan, the long-term systemic benefits for the state would include reducing the shadow economy, increasing transparency in the business environment, generating additional tax revenue, obtaining statistical data in real time, and automating cooperation among the regulatory authorities of EAEU member states.

For businesses, the benefits would include ensuring fair competition by curbing the shadow economy and simplifying the export of goods within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) through the use of a single standardized marking label across the union. For consumers, the program would help restrict the circulation of counterfeit and substandard goods, protect public health and consumer rights, and enable consumers to verify products directly through a mobile application, facilitating public oversight.

“Identification-based marking is currently applied in Armenia to tobacco products, as of March 15, 2023; alcoholic beverages, as of October 15, 2023; bottled water, including mineral water, as of May 1, 2024; tea, coffee, oil, fish products, chocolate, pasta, canned goods, juices, beer, and vinegar, as of March 1, 2025; and dairy products, meat products, sausages, animal feed, medicines, vitamins, vaccines, paints, varnishes, cosmetics, personal care products, perfumes, and soap, as of January 1, 2026,” Mkhitaryan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan asked whether household appliances and mobile phones were included in the pilot phase. Mkhitaryan replied that household appliances were not yet included, while the pilot program for mobile phones had been completed.

Pashinyan stressed that there was substantial shadow economic activity involving mobile phones and computers, a problem people encounter every day. He said he believed the best way to combat it was to place QR codes on products.