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On March 25, the NA Armenia-Italy Friendship Group organized a discussion on the theme “The Perspectives of Development of the Armenian-Italian Economic Relations” in the Avshar Wine Factory.  The NA deputies, members of the RA Government, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to the RA, and the representatives of the Italian companies having significant contribution to Armenia took part in the event.

In his welcoming speech the Head of the NA Armenia-Italy Friendship Group Koryun Nahapetyan has noted that the Friendship Group has its unique contribution to the development of relations between the two friendly peoples, and in those relations the component of the economic cooperation is of big importance. He has considered specific the circumstance that the trade-economic relations of the two ancient peoples have been active in the Middle Ages. In this context Mr Nahapetyan has deemed not accidental the fact that today Italy is the RA second big trade partner among the European countries.

In his welcoming remarks Giovanni Ricciulli, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Armenia has noted that though the Armenian-Italian trade-economic relations are at favourable level, nevertheless, in the development of the economic ties there is a big non-used potential. He has especially highlighted the necessity of boosting the export from Armenia and adding the Italian investments in Armenia. In the Ambassador’s word, the membership of Armenia to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEC) has created a new situation for the investors of his country, and the possibilities of cooperation are not still distinct for them. The Ambassador has assured that such discussions are the best platform of emerging of new ideas and opportunity.

In the framework of the theme the RA First Deputy Minister of Economy Garegin Melkonyan, touching upon the RA-Italy and the RA-EU relations and presenting the regulations and possibilities existing for the foreign investors, delivered a speech. In terms of the RA-EU relations Mr Melkonyan has stated that after joining the EEC the European Union continues remaining one of the prior partners of Armenia. He has emphasized the circumstance that after joining the EEC Armenia also could keep the GSP+ system and has added that in the region only Armenia makes use of this system. The Deputy Minister has added that the RA-EU relations actively restarted, which also fully include the format related to the trade and investments. Garegin Melkonyan also talked about the RA-EEC economic legal regulations.

Mr Melkonyan presented the economic conditions, created in our country for the Italian businessmen, the tools and the established tax privileges. He has informed that works are underway in the establishment of the free economic zones which gives opportunity to define tax privileges for the foreign investors.

In his speech the Trade Officer at European Commission-EU Delegation to the Republic of Armenia Karen Azaryan presented the data of the EU statistical service. Mr Azaryan assessed the level of the economic cooperation between Armenia and Italy stable and touched upon the possibilities of the generalized system of the GSP+ privileges. He also presented details about the reference book of the export of the European Union: if its product corresponds with the demands of the GSP+ system. He has assured that from now on the EU is ready to support the Armenian producer in the increase of the export volumes.

The Director of the Armenian-Italian Trade-Industrial Association Levon Israelyan introduced the activities of the Association.

The Italian businessman, Director of the Politaly Italian Company Filippo Duzioni, who has already been in Armenia for three years, also expressed his viewpoints on the vision of the Armenian-Italian economic relations. Mr Duzioni presented the activities of the Politaly Company. He presented proposals concerning the creation of the favourable economic conditions in Armenia, touched upon the problems of the encouragement of the investments in Armenia and the Armenian workers’ training in Italy. He has underlined that Armenia with its geographical position is of importance in the region and expressed hope that more favourable conditions will be created for the foreign investors in the RA, which will give opportunity to develop the bilateral economic ties.

In his speech the RA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Harutyunyan has noted that the level of the development of Armenia-Italy economic relations is not still satisfactory, there is non-used potential. To his assessment, the diplomatic corps should drive forward not only the political agenda, but also the economic one. In the deputy Minister's opinion, it is necessary to escalate also the work at the level of the Inter-governmental Commissions and Parliamentary Friendship Groups.

During the debates the speakers and the participants exchanged thoughts on the legislative gaps and obstacles existing in the economic sphere in the development of the bilateral ties, on the use of the tools promoting the increase of the goods turnover volumes, on the necessity of public awareness in terms of economic opportunities of the two countries, on the factors of boosting the development of the relations and on the involvement of the Italian capital in Armenia. The participants voiced proposals on creating educational-production centres in the marzes and establishing ties between separate communities of the two countries, which also can be an impetus for the development of the economic ties between Armenia and Italy. They touched upon the importance of implementing programmes promoting the development of the Italian language.

Summing up the results Koryun Nahapetyan thanked all the participants and once again highlighted the role of the Parliamentary Friendship Group in the development of the Armenian-Italian relations. In his opinion, new means and steps are necessary in the rapprochement of the necessary economic relations and united work too in that issue. In the name of the Friendship Group Mr Nahapetyan expressed readiness to make continuous such discussions. By the assessment of the Head of the Friendship Group, there is big potential for more raising the level of the development of the relations.

At the end of the discussion the representatives of the Italian companies having significant investment in Armenia were awarded the Letter of Acknowledgement of the NA Armenia-Italy Friendship Group for the activities promoting the development of the Armenian-Italian economic ties.