International organisations

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COUNCIL OF EUROPE

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 Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026 is underway. It reflects the priorities of the Program of Government of the Republic of Armenia for the period of 2021-2026 in reforms in the judiciary and other fields. 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 has signed and ratified 70 Conventions and acceded to 12 Partial Agreements of the Council of Europe. (http://www.conventions.coe.int/)

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://rm.coe.int/greta-third-evalution-report-on-armenia/1680a6b4ba)

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 was published by ECRI in June, 2023 (see-https://rm.coe.int/sixth-report-on-armenia/1680ab9e33).

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

October 2023

Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia

June 2022

Alen Simonyan, President of the National Assembly

May 2022

Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs

October 2019

Ararat Mirzoyan, President of the National Assembly

April 2019

Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia

November 2018

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs

January 2018

Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia

October 2017

Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs

November 2013

Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE

October 2013

Armen Gevorkyan, Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Territorial Administration

October 2013

Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia

September 2013

Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE

June 2013

Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly

June 2013

Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE

May 2013

Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE

September 2012

Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly

June 2011

Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia

June 2009

Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly

May 2008

Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly

December 2007

Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister

May 2005

Robert Kocharyan, President of the Republic of Armenia

June 2004

Robert Kocharyan, President of the Republic of Armenia

May 2004

Arthur Baghdasaryan, President of the National Assembly

January 2001

Robert Kocharyan, President of the Republic of Armenia

To Armenia

October 2023

Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights

June 2022

Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General

March 2019

Liliane Maury Pasquier, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

September 2018

Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights

November 2017

Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

June 2016

Jean-Claude Frécon, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

April 2015

Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General

April 2015

Anne Brasseur, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

October 2014

Nils Muižnieks, Commissioner for Human Rights

October 2013

Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General

October 2013

Nils Muižnieks, Commissioner for Human Rights

July 2013

Dean Spielmann, President of the European Court of Human Rights

June 2013

Hervig Van Staa, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

May 2013

Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

April 2013

Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General

January 2011

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights

October 2010

Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General

July 2008

Lluís Maria de Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

March 2008

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights

November 2007

Terry Davis, Secretary General

October 2007

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights

July 2007

Rene van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

October 2006

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights

August 2005

Rene van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

October 2002

Alvaro Gil-Robles, Commissioner for Human Rights

July 2002

Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General

September 2001

Lord David Russell Johnston, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

September 1999

Lord David Russell Johnston, President of the Parliamentary Assembly

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 13.02.2024

Print the page