Armenia takes major step toward EU membership with new bill approval

The parliamentary commission in Armenia has approved a bill aimed at initiating the country's process of joining the EU.

The bill has been added to the agenda of the upcoming parliamentary session for its first reading, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

The decision was made during an extraordinary meeting of the Permanent Commission on European Integration in the Armenian Parliament. Arman Egoyan, Chairman of the Permanent Commission on European Integration, confirmed the approval of the proposal, stating, "The decision to include the bill on European integration in the agenda of the Armenian Parliament was approved by a majority vote. The commission will forward the proposal to the agenda of the parliament's sessions, which begin tomorrow [March 25]."

Armenia’s European aspirations have gained momentum in recent months. In September 2024, Armenia and the EU officially launched negotiations on visa liberalization. During a visit to Yerevan, European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas hailed the move as a historic step in deepening EU-Armenia ties. The European Parliament has also shown strong support for expanding relations.

In March, MEPs adopted a resolution urging the EU to begin visa liberalization talks with Armenia, stating that the EU should seize this geopolitical shift and help Armenia gain a firmer foothold in the community of democracies. The resolution further called on the European Commission and EU member states to develop a roadmap to elevate relations with Armenia to a new level.

By Naila Huseynova