Why is the Quick Ratification of the Agreement between Armenia and the EU Important?

• 01.17.2018, 15:02
• Anna Karapetyan
•  Europe,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  Armenia

Estonia became the first country to ratify the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the European Union signed on November 24, 2017. The Armenian side has made statements that it will most likely ratify the agreement in March.

So why is the quick ratification of the agreement important and how long this process can take?

In order the Agreement to enter into force and all sides to fulfill their obligations, the agreement must be ratified both by the parliaments of 28 EU member states and the European Parliament. Until the final ratification (but after Armenia's ratification), some transitional provisions will come into force.

The ratification by Estonia officially announced the start of the process and will serve as an impetus for other EU member states to push forward the process. In this sense, the speed of ratification has both political and practical meaning. Fast ratification in the political sense is an indication of the importance of the Agreement, emphasizing that the parties attach importance to the deepening of cooperation and are ready to do their best to develop Armenia-EU relations. On the other hand, quick ratification is necessary in order to fully implement the agreement and to make its results available to every citizen of the Republic of Armenia.

At the same time, it should be taken into consideration that this is a long and complicated process that will be also connected with the internal political agenda and processes of each EU Member State. In addition, the speed of the process depends on the political position of the EU member states. It is noteworthy that the full ratification of the Association Agreement with Ukraine, which was of great political significance for the EU and at the same time caused geopolitical contradictions, lasted about three years, and the signing of the Association Agreement with Georgia, which was less "politicized", took just a bit longer than a year.

Ratification of the Agreement with Armenia will hardly meet any serious political reaction, so in case of consistent work it is possible to reach a fast ratification. And for this it is necessary to make all the possible levels’ meetings with the representatives of the European counties in order to stimulate the process, with the help and support of the Armenian communities as well.