Armenia pushes for EU special economic status to boost trade ties

Armenian officials are negotiating with European partners to obtain a special economic status for the country, modeled on similar arrangements granted to Moldova and Ukraine. Deputy Minister Papoyan said the effort aims to provide support programmes for exporters targeting the EU market, but it will require the unanimous approval of all EU member states, making the process lengthy.

According to Armenia’s National Statistical Service, trade with EU members grew by 7.2% in 2025, reaching $2.5 billion and accounting for 11.7% of total trade. Exports rose 9% to $666.8 million, while imports increased 6.5% to $1.8 billion. In the first quarter of 2026, trade surged 54.3% to $7.632 billion, with exports jumping 89.8% to $2.487 billion and imports up 41.5% to $5.145 billion.