Yerevan/Mediamax/. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, signed the EU-Armenia Partnership Priorities in Brussels on February 21.

This sets the joint policy priorities for the coming years, in line with the new EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

The four main areas of cooperation are:

1.    Strengthening institutions and good governance;

2.    Economic development and market opportunities;

3.    Connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate action;

4.    Mobility and people-to-people contacts.

The Partnership Priorities will be key in guiding EU financial assistance to Armenia until 2020.

For that period, the EU has earmarked around €160 million for Armenia to invest, among other areas, in education and innovation, which are key for Armenia's economic development.

"The European Union and Armenia are, with these Partnership Priorities, further enhancing our already strong friendship and cooperation", said the EU High Representative/Vice-President, Federica Mogherini. "Combined with our new Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that we signed only three months ago at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, we are reinforcing our joint commitment to delivering positive results in areas that really make a difference to peoples' lives, both in the EU and in Armenia. We stay engaged to push ahead and work to turn those commitments into reality."

Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said: "I welcome the adoption of the Partnership Priorities between the European Union and Armenia, which is a direct result of differentiation in our bilateral relations based on mutual interests. This will pave the way for our cooperation with the aim to bring tangible benefits to the daily lives of Armenian citizens."