On February 12, Armenia’s National Assembly approved a bill in its first reading that marks the beginning of the country’s process of joining the European Union.
The bill, titled “On the Beginning of the Process of Armenia’s Accession to the European Union,” was discussed the day before and passed with 63 votes in favor and seven against.
The initiative was introduced by the civil group Evrovote, which collected over 60,000 signatures—surpassing the required 50,000—to submit the proposal to Parliament.
After the Armenian government reviewed and approved the bill on January 9, it was forwarded to the National Assembly for further consideration.
The bill, which was endorsed by the European Integration Committee, includes the following statement: “The Republic of Armenia, expressing the will of the people of the Republic of Armenia, aiming to make the Republic of Armenia a safe, secure, developed, and prosperous country, declares the start of the process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union.”
The government has clarified that while the approval of this bill initiates the EU accession process, it does not constitute an official membership application. Instead, it highlights Armenia’s intention to strengthen its bilateral ties with the EU.
Armenian officials also emphasized that the country will continue its participation in the trade union with Russia, even as it moves closer to the EU.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has previously stated that any final decision on Armenia’s EU membership would require approval through a national referendum.
