On 14 December 2011, Ambassador Traian Hristea, the new Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, and Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan, Secretary of National Security Council, co-chaired the eighth Advisory Board Meeting of the EU Advisory Group (EUAG) to Armenia. The Group presented its regular Quarterly Report as well as its Work Plan for the period of January – June 2012. During the meeting the Board reviewed different activities that took place during the last quarter and noted progress in reforms. The Board underlined that during the last months the EU Advisory Group has provided Armenian authorities with consistent policy advice in order to assess and accelerate progress in Armenia's preparations for a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU. Apart from this area, significant contributions were made by advisors in preparation for the signature of the Joint Declaration on the EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership in October. The Board also noted the EUAG support to the Human Rights Defender in implementing visits to the marzes of Armenia, as well as advice delivered on the elaboration of Draft National Strategy on Human Rights Protection. Other activities of the high-level group of European experts included contributions to and advice on elaborating the recommendations for the Strategy on “Accelerating the Reforms in the RoA within the framework of the EU Eastern Partnership”, as well as finalizing Institutional Reform Plans under the Comprehensive Institution Building (CIB) Programme. The EU AG also facilitated the start of official integration of four Armenian political parties into their respective EU political families and assisted the delegation of the National Assembly during the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan praised the cooperation with the EU Advisory Group and re-confirmed its readiness to engage with the EU in the EU-Armenia partnership for reform. Ambassador Traian Hristea stressed the need to deepen the reforms that Armenia had launched over the past years and underlined the EU determination to move forward with concrete measures to ensure that reforms in Armenia produce positive results for the population. High-ranking officials from the President’s Office, the Government, and the National Assembly attended the meeting. EU Member States Embassies and international organisations were also represented, including UNDP. The EU Advisory Group was represented by the Team Leader, Mr. Antti Hartikainen and the EU Advisors. EU Advisory Group to the Republic of Armenia

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