Overview
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Yerevan on Thursday and announced an €18 million disbursement that completes a €52 million support package and the proposal to make roughly 80% of Armenian exports tariff-free to the EU.
- The tariff relief is being offered through 'autonomous trade measures' the EU used for Ukraine, but the rules must still be approved by the European Parliament and member states before they can take effect.
- Brussels pledged practical help to make market access real, including sending experts to work with producers, creating a joint EU‑Armenia task force, and tackling sanitary and technical checks ahead of harvest season.
- Russia has recently imposed broad import bans on high-value Armenian goods such as flowers, brandy, wine and fruit, and those restrictions are the immediate operational hurdle the EU package aims to offset by rerouting sales into Europe.
- The move fits a wider EU South Caucasus strategy that includes up to €200 million for regional transport, energy and digital projects, and it seeks to deepen ties after Armenia’s pro‑European election outcome while helping farmers and exporters find new buyers.