EU Offers Tariff Relief and Aid to Armenia During von der Leyen Visit

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced new trade measures and financial support for Armenia during her visit to Yerevan on Thursday. The measures include Autonomous Trade Measures that will remove tariffs on almost 80 percent of Armenian exports to the EU single market of 450 million consumers.

Von der Leyen said the steps will open the EU market to almost 99 percent of Armenia's fresh fruits, vegetables, and plants previously sent to Russia and to more than 90 percent of its beverages and spirits exports.

She also announced an additional 18 million euros for trade support, the final portion of a 52 million euro package assembled before Armenia's June elections. The EU pledged 200 million euros for a Global Gateway connectivity initiative in the South Caucasus and will mobilize up to 2 billion euros for transport, energy, and digital projects across the region.

An additional 20 million euros will fund a peace-fostering program for communities along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia aims to secure visa liberalization with the EU by 2029. Von der Leyen stated that an EU assessment mission will take place in autumn 2026 and that Armenia is the only country in an active visa liberalization process with the EU.

EU experts will assist Armenia in diversifying energy imports away from Russia, and Pashinyan said Armenia will build power transmission lines with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Von der Leyen visited Azerbaijan on Wednesday before traveling to Yerevan. She described the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process as a history-making moment and noted that Armenia is neither an EU candidate country nor holds a classic trade agreement with the bloc. Pashinyan said Armenia will act solely in its own interests and will not place any partner's interests above its own.