On the occasion of the Eastern Partnership Summit held today in Brussels, the European Union concluded negotiations with Armenia for a new aviation agreement. It is estimated that this agreement will bring an additional 87.000 additional passengers and will generate more than €16 million in the first five years. This agreement will improve market access for airlines, providing better connectivity, more choice and lower fares for travellers. More flights also means more jobs and more wealth for all partners.

Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said, "Today we are further delivering on our ambitious aviation strategy by taking our aviation relations with Armenia to the next level. This agreement will not only improve market access, it will also contribute to the highest safety, security and environmental standards. This is good news for European and Armenian travellers and businesses."

Besides market access, these agreements will establish a common regulatory framework, for instance in the fields of aviation safety and security. This agreement was negotiated by the European Commission as part of its Aviation Strategy for Europe, a milestone initiative to give a new boost to European aviation and provide new business opportunities.

Next steps

The Armenian delegation has agreed to recommend its authorities to sign the agreement following the completion of the necessary internal procedures.

Background information

The European Commission is currently negotiating new aviation agreements with the Association of Southeast Asian Nationals (ASEAN), Azerbaijan, Qatar, Tunisia and Turkey. Once signed, over 75% of all passengers flying in and out of the EU, or more than 240 million passengers per year, would be covered by EU-level aviation agreements.

In addition the EU has already negotiated with partners like the US, Canada, Morocco, Jordan, the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Israel, Georgia, Moldova and Switzerland which have already brought significant benefits. For instance, passenger numbers have doubled with partners such as the Western Balkans, Morocco, and Georgia.

For more information

Fact Sheet - Aviation Agreement with Armenia

An Aviation Strategy for Europe