YEREVAN, OCTOBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Council of the European Union has adopted EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy 2016. As “Armenpress” was informed from the press service of the Council, the report was presented by the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini as a document dedicated to follow-up and implementation in the priority areas identified by the EU Global Strategy of June, 2016.

The document also touches upon Armenia-EU relations, as well as Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. “The focus in the EU's relations with Armenia is on the negotiation of a new framework agreement that will provide a new impetus for intensifying our bilateral relations. Moreover, new Partnership Priorities will be agreed jointly to replace the outdated ENP Action Plan. Following last year constitutional referendum, it is important for Armenia to implement the new Electoral Code and all OSCE and CoE recommendations well before the next parliamentary elections in 2017. The EU will contribute, as the main donor, to cover most of the financial burden for the forthcoming parliamentary elections”, reads the report. At the same time it is mentioned that the EU no longer seeks Association Agreement with Armenia.

On 28 January 2016, the EU published its first report on the impact of the "Generalised Scheme of Preferences" (GSP), including the impact of GSP+ on 14 low or lower-middle income countries. GSP+ is based on the integral concept of sustainable development. Through this system, the countries involved pay no duties when exporting a range of products to the EU. In return, they must have ratified 27 core international conventions – including the United Nations (UN) conventions on human rights and the conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on labour rights – and agree to cooperate in monitoring their implementation. All the assessed 14 GSP+ beneficiary countries have made significant efforts and have shown genuine political and institutional engagement, but more needs to be done. Regular monitoring and dialogue with the current beneficiary countries (Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay & Philippines) continues.

In the part of the report referring to Azerbaijan, a reference is made to Nagorno Karabakh issue. “The EU will continue to support the mediation efforts carried out by the OSCE Minsk Group Cochairs in order to find a negotiated solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”, reads the report.