Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

The European Union has suspended Twinning program with Armenia, Armenia Today reported on Sept. 6.

The European Commission in Armenia has officially reported to the government in this regard. The reason of the step is Armenia's decision to join the Customs Union. However, it is not clear whether program is suspended permanently or temporarily.

Recall that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced that Armenia has made a decision to join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, to take the necessary steps in that direction and to participate in the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union," said a joint statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Sargsyan following negotiations on Sept.3, RIA Novosti reported.

The Russian President supported Armenia's decision and expressed Moscow's readiness to assist in that process in every way possible. He also said that Russia remains Armenia's number one trading partner.

Twinning program, which functions in Armenia since 2009, has implemented about 18 programs with different departments. The purpose of the program is the reforms in government in accordance with EU standards and working models and approach of legislative field to general EU law.

The European Union recognizes that twinning is a very important mean to help people understand the aims of the EU, to develop a stronger sense of European identity, and to bring the EU closer to its citizens. In 1989, on the initiative of the European Parliament, a European twinning programme was launched for the first time, and subsequent twinning programmes have provided an important source of funding for twinning. The programme is open to the 27 EU member States, but also, with certain conditions, to members of the European Free Trade Association (including Iceland, and Norway), to EU "candidate countries" and to the countries of the western Balkans. The practical implementation of the EU twinning and citizenship programme - e.g. selection of successful proposals, grant payments etc., is carried out by a specialist Executive Agency.