Main Results of the First Semester

1 April - 30 September 2009

In accordance with the ToR and Technical proposal, the following activities were carried out:

1. Development of project network

(a) Cooperation with the EU AG: broadly established, with AEPLAC supplying capacity buildingservices;  synergies are emerging when events are designed and carried out jointly. Items toconsider:

•  resource utilisation - AEPLAC budget on international experts' man days overloaded
   
• relations with Armenian beneficiaries by AEPLAC and EU AG could be better coordinated -solutions will be developed jointly in the months to come

(b) Change of formal project partner pending (as of 15.10.2009)

(c) Staff development: deputy team leader  replaced (Addendum No 1), more Armenian expertsrecruited

(d) Web site: to be re-launched in October; access to earlier AEPLAC outputs ensured

(e) Other projects and civil society: cooperation established / maintained with SATTO, PTB, UMBA, Chamber of Commerce, National Institute for Education, CEELI, Yerevan State University andGerman University  Armenia

2. Main activities after the inception phase, i.e. in July - September 2009

(a) Comprehensive training course "How to handle European integration in practice"

•  EU awareness by GoA officials involved in coordination; focus on implications for Armenia
   
• training of trainers

(b) High-level workshop "Political and economic impact of economic integration with the EU -opportunities  and challenges for Armenia" for key decision makers

(c) Debt sustainability training to Ministry of Finance (8-17 Sep 09), delivered by EU AG, organisedby  AEPLAC

(d) TBT awareness workshop and contribution to road map preparation (7 Oct 2009)

(e) Integrity risk assessment and management training course to RA Customs (16-17 Oct 2009)

(f) Position paper "State Coordination Bodies for European Integration of Armenia" produced and disseminated on 27 July 2009

(g) Information and Communication Strategy on European integration: outline submitted to theWorking  Group under the National Security Council

(h) Survey on EU awareness among population: questionnaire developed and tested, field workcurrently in process

(i) AEPLAC library reorganized: funds collected from warehouse, inventory produced,  publication"Comprehensive guide to EU" of AEPLAC IV (in Armenian) submitted to students of EU Studies

(j) Seminar "How to Increase Visibility of European Integration: Best Practices and Solutions forArmenia"  held to NGOs in June

3. Main activities planned for October 2009 - March 2010

Capacity building:

a) EU awareness course to focal points (participation to be discussed with MoE, EU AG, SATTOand ECD,  timeline Dec 2009)

b) Training courses to Customs on post-clearance audit (foundation and risk management,respectively 2-11 November 2009 and January 2010) jointly with EU AG

c) Training of trainers on anti-corruption issues - planned jointly with the Civil Service Council,Civil Service Academy, EU AG and ICHD. The program will be designed upon receipt of CVs ofpotential trainers from Civil Service Council

d) Training sessions to MoE staff on macroeconomics and general trade policy principles

e) Training of PMO and ministries' Heads of Departments on strategic planning, coordinationand monitoring (tentatively Jan 2010, together with EU AG and SIGMA experts)

f) Training on English language terminology for focal points dealing with EU issues. AEPLACplans to combine  that course with communication skills training to MoE and othergovernment staff involved in direct  information exchange with European Commission, WTOand other international organisations.

g) Mentoring related to (i) day-to-day communication process on FTA issues, (ii) horizontalcoordination of  DCFTA preparations and its harmonisation with ENP AP coordination, (iii)interaction with WTO and other  international organisations on trade policy issues

h) Assistance to MoE, in cooperation with the EU AG and SATTO, on enhancement ofcoordination on ENP AP, DCFTA, on the basis of position paper mentioned under 2 (f) above

i) Workshop on sustainable development component in DCFTA (February-March 2010)

j) Workshop on visa facilitation and migration policy (March 2010), continuing awarenessbuilding on EaP opportunities for Armenia

k) Workshop on improvement of coordination mechanism of implementation of food safetystrategy (pending adoption of a DCFTA-compliant food safety strategy)

l) Expert mission to support the establishment of the library of the pending ArmenianDiplomatic Academy

m) Survey: extent of counterfeiting and piracy on the domestic market

n) Study visit: legal environment, inter-ministerial cooperation and e-solutions for furtherdevelopment of business environment (legislative framework; one-stop shop; e-services,market control, taxation etc)

Visibility promotion

o) Finalisation of the EU awareness survey by Dec 09, submission of results in Jan 2010

p) Support to Armenia's communication and information strategy: stand-by for discussions inthe NSC  Working Group, support for fine-tuning at the final stage (tentatively May 2010).

q) Awareness workshop for business community (Nov 2009)

r) Awareness seminar for journalists writing on the EU, in cooperation with Caucasus Media Institute

s) Awareness workshops on EU for local administrations and NGOs: (i) in Yerevan withparticipation from  Armavir, Ararat, Aragatsotn and Kotayk marzes, (ii) in Vanadzor (Lori,Shirak, Tavush and Gegharkunik).

t) Awareness building activities to school teachers: discussions under way with Ministry of Education and  Science and National Institute of Education about an optimal format; theobjective is to offer awareness- raising to teachers and possibly incorporate EU topics intoschool curriculum

u) Awareness raising workshop for students and lecturers of Yerevan State University on thelatest  developments in EU policies and their impact on Armenia and the region - the first inthe series of  information events to be implemented in various educational institutions

v) Networking: organisation and participation in network meetings with EU funded projects aswell as regional, state and non-state stakeholders to promote advocacy on EU and Armenia's European integration - resource generation, grassroots data collection, information sharing,discussion on current situation and development  of recommendations from CSOs to the GoAAd hoc activities will be carried out in line with the planned  capacity building and visibility events.Room is left open for interventions, which might turn out on a shorter  notice from beneficiaries andEU AG

                       AEPLAC V Progress Report was approved by the Steering Committee on October 28th 2009