Armenia became a full member of the Council of Europe on 25 January 2001.

On the 20th Anniversary of Armenia’s accession to the Council of Europe, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ara Aivazian and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić issued video messages.

Armenia’s accession process to the Council of Europe started in 1995. The National Assembly of Armenia was granted special guest status on 26 January 1996. On 9 November 2000, according to the Committee of Ministers Resolution 2000/13, Armenia was invited to join the Council of Europe.

From 16 May 2013, Armenia assumed the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for six months. (http://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/cm-chairmanship-armenia)

Armenia is actively involved in the activities of the statutory organs of the Organization, as well as of a number of expert committees of intergovernmental cooperation and takes important initiatives for the activity and role of the organization.

Armenia is represented in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. Since 2006, the Sessions of the Committee of Ministers with the participation of Foreign Ministers are held once a year.

The Permanent Representation of the Republic of Armenia to the Council of Europe is situated in Strasbourg.

Mr. Arman Khachatryan is the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the Council of Europe.

The activity of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan is aimed at implementing with the competent Armenian authorities the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia supporting legislative and institutional reforms.

The Armenian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE is composed of deputies of the National Assembly of the RA, which include four representatives and four substitutes. (http://www.parliament.am/international.php?id=3&lang=arm#171)

The Armenian delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the CoE comprises representatives of local elected bodies. It is composed of four representatives and four substitutes. (http://www.coe.int/t/congress/whoswho/pays_fr.asp?id=34)

Since its accession to the CoE, Armenia has been taking necessary steps to fulfill its post-accession commitments in the CoE. All conventions required upon the accession have been ratified. With the support of the experts of the Secretariat of the CoE and the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) the respective Codes and Laws of the Republic of Armenia have been amended, including the Constitutional reforms of 2015 which led to large legislative reforms.

The CoE-Armenia cooperation includes almost all spheres within the competence of the Organization, taking into account the priorities of the Government of Armenia, as well as the recommendations of the monitoring bodies.

Through various mechanisms of cooperation, a number of projects have been successfully implemented. The Action Plan 2019-2022 is underway. It reflects the priorities of the Programme of Government of Armenia for the period 2019-2023 in the fields of good governance, fight against corruption, reforms of the judiciary and those related to the social and economic sectors. The Council of Europe Action Plan is aimed at supporting Armenia in the implementation of its national reform agenda, as well as its statutory obligations as a Council of Europe member state.

Armenia has signed and ratified 69 Conventions and acceded to 12 Partial Agreements of the Council of Europe. (http://www.conventions.coe.int/) 

Cooperation with the Council of Europe monitoring and expert bodies

Armenia cooperates with the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) over combating human trafficking. The MFA coordinates the preparation of country’s national reports to GRETA, as well as regular monitoring visits of the Group of Experts to Armenia. The last monitoring visit took place in September 2021. In May 2022, the Group of Experts published its 11th Annual Report, which comprises a chapter relating Armenia (see https://www.coe.int/en/web/anti-human-trafficking/armenia and http://antitrafficking.am/greta-reports).

Armenia cooperates with the Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (AC FCNM). The MFA coordinates the preparation of country’s national reports to AC FCNM, as well as monitoring visits to the country. The last monitoring visit took place in February 2022. Following the visit, the last 5th Opinion on Armenia was published in February 2023.  More information is available through https://www.coe.int/en/web/minorities/armenia.

Armenia cooperates with the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI). The MFA coordinates the preparation of country’s national reports to ECRI, as well as monitoring visits to the country. The recent visit of ECRI to Armenia took place in May-June 2022. Following the visit, the report on Armenia is preparing by ECRI.

Cooperation with the Council of Europe is also carried out within the Gender Equality Commission (GEC). Armenia presents annual reports on the implementation of CoE Gender Equality strategic programs.  The most recent report submitted to GEC in 2022 is available at https://rm.coe.int/2021-annual-report-on-the-implementation-of-the-gender-equality-strate/1680a710cf .

Visits

To the Council of Europe

To Armenia

Useful liks:

Council of Europe: www.coe.int

The Parliamentary Assembly: assembly.coe.int

The European Court of Human Rights: www.echr.coe.int/echr

The Permanent Representation of Armenia to the CoE: www.coe.mfa.am

The office of the Council of Europe in Yerevan : www.coe.am

Updated on 22.06.2022