 | |
| Founded | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Focus | Cultural diplomacy Pan-Europeanism |
| Headquarters | Yerevan |
| Location | |
| Origins | Brussels, Belgium |
Area served | Armenia |
| Affiliations | Creative Europe |
| Website | www.culture.ec.europa.eu |
Creative Europe–Armenia (Armenian : Ստեղծագործական Եվրոպա – Հայաստան, romanized: Steghtsagortsakan Yevropa – Hayastan) is the Armenian branch of the Creative Europe programme. Creative Europe–Armenia was founded in 2018, with the support of the European Commission, and is headquartered in Yerevan.
The general objectives of Creative Europe are to safeguard, develop and promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and to promote Europe's cultural heritage, to strengthen the competitiveness of the European cultural and creative sectors, in particular of the audiovisual sector, with a view to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. [1] Creative Europe–Armenia was established on 20 March 2018, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the participation of Armenia in Creative Europe. The memorandum was signed by the Armenian Ministry of Culture and former European Union Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Tibor Navracsics. [2] Commissioner Navracsics welcomed this new opportunity to strengthen Armenia–European Union relations through culture and noted that Armenia was the fourth Eastern Partnership member to join after Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The National Assembly of Armenia subsequently ratified membership in the programme. The agreement is an important achievement in the framework of the Armenia–EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement signed in November 2017. [3] Former EU Ambassador to Armenia, Piotr Świtalski, stated "Armenia will strengthen ties with the European Union by joining the programme. The benefits of the program will be tangible not only for Armenian artists, but for regular citizens as well". [4]
Following Armenia's accession, Armenian cultural organizations could now apply for funding. Eastern Partnership member countries are eligible for a maximum of 30% of the overall project budget. [3]
On 20 December 2019, Armenia hosted the Create, Preserve, Enhance event under the Creative Europe programme. The event celebrated the results and achievements of the Armenian participants in the programme and was attended by members of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia. [5] [6]
On 15 November 2021, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan highlighted the importance of Armenia's participation in Creative Europe as a symbol of Armenia's partnership and cooperation with the EU. [7]
The MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe or simply Creative Europe MEDIA is designed to support the European film and audiovisual industries.
European Union culture policies aim to address and promote the cultural dimension of European integration through relevant legislation and government funding. These policies support the development of cultural activity, education or research conducted by private companies, NGO's and individual initiatives based in the EU working in the fields of cinema and audiovisual, publishing, music and crafts.
Armenia and the European Union have maintained positive relations over the years. Both parties are connected through the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which was signed in 2017. Former Armenian foreign minister Eduard Nalbandyan expressed confidence that the new partnership agreement would "open a new page" in EU–Armenia relations. Meanwhile, the former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini concluded in June 2019, that Armenia–EU relations are on an "excellent" level. Should either Georgia or Turkey, who are candidates for EU membership, accede to the EU, Armenia will border the European Union.
The Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU) have maintained a positive relationship through the years and have become more closely linked since 1991. Azerbaijan is currently part of the European Neighborhood Policy, the Eastern Partnership and the Council of Europe. The EU is the largest foreign grant donor to and investor in Azerbaijan, both in the government sector and civil society, making available over 600 million EURO of bilateral EU assistance since 1992.
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative of the European Union, together with its member states, and six Eastern European countries. The EaP framework governs the EU's relationship with the post-Soviet states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The EaP is intended to provide a forum for discussions regarding trade, economic strategy, travel agreements, and other issues between the EU and its Eastern European neighbours. It also aims at building a common area of shared values of democracy, prosperity, stability, and increased cooperation. The project was initiated by Poland and a subsequent proposal was prepared in co-operation with Sweden. It was presented by the foreign ministers of Poland and Sweden at the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 26 May 2008. The Eastern Partnership was inaugurated by the EU in Prague, Czech Republic on 7 May 2009.
Creative Europe is a funding programme established by the European Union to support the cultural, creative, and audiovisual sectors across Europe. The main objectives of the programme are:
Civil Contract is a centrist political party in Armenia. It has been the ruling party of Armenia since the 2018 Armenian parliamentary election, which occurred following the 2018 Armenian Revolution that brought the party's founder, Nikol Pashinyan, to power as prime minister.
The European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) is an international non-governmental organization established in 2009, which aims to promote cooperation between the European Union and Armenia.
The Armenia–EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement or CEPA is a partnership agreement between the European Union and Armenia. The agreement advances the bilateral relations between the European Union and Armenia to a new, partnership level and regulates cooperation in political and economic sectors, while enhancing trade relations. The agreement develops these areas further, providing a long-term basis for integrating and strengthening EU–Armenia relations. The agreement is also designed to bring Armenian laws and regulations gradually closer to the EU acquis.
The Association Trio, also known as the Associated Trio, is a tripartite format for the enhanced cooperation, coordination, and dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine with the European Union on issues of common interest related to European integration, enhancing cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, and committing to the prospect of joining the European Union.
European Integration NGO is an Armenian non-governmental organization based in Yerevan. The organization was founded in 2000 and seeks to promote further European integration of Armenia.
Armenia has been a member of the Council of Europe, an international organization that focuses on strengthening democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across Europe, since 2001.
Armenia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have maintained a formal relationship since 1992, when Armenia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Armenia officially established bilateral relations with NATO in 1994 when it became a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. In 2002, Armenia became an Associate Member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
EUNIC Armenia is the Armenian branch of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC). EUNIC Armenia was founded in 2018 as a nonprofit organization and is headquartered in Yerevan. EUNIC members seek to promote European culture, cultural diversity and understanding between European societies.
The Delegation of the European Union to Armenia is the diplomatic mission of the European Union in Armenia. Its headquarters are located in Armenia's capital, Yerevan.
The Council of Europe Office (Armenia) (Armenian: Եվրոպայի խորհրդի գրասենյակ, romanized: Yevropayi khorhrdi grasenyak) is the diplomatic mission of the Council of Europe (CoE) in Armenia. Its headquarters are located in Armenia's capital, Yerevan.
The EU–Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) was a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community and Armenia. It was signed in Luxembourg and entered into force on 1 July 1999. The agreement served as the legal framework for EU–Armenia bilateral relations for 21 years, until its termination on 28 February 2021. The PCA was replaced by the Armenia–EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a more comprehensive and complex agreement, which entered into force on 1 March 2021.
An OSCE Needs Assessment Team in Armenia was deployed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the territory of Armenia between 21 and 27 October 2022 following the Armenia–Azerbaijan border crisis.
Armenia–OSCE relations began when Armenia joined the OSCE's predecessor, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), on 30 January 1992. The CSCE transformed into the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) shortly afterwards in 1995.
Armenia–BSEC relations began when Armenia joined the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) on 25 June 1992 as one of the eleven founding members of the economic organization.
