This document summarizes the progress and plans of the EU4Environment program in Armenia between 2019-2020. It outlines the key activities and results across five areas: greener decision making, circular economy opportunities, level environmental playing field, coordination, and communication. It provides updates on completed activities in 2019-2020 and outlines plans for continuing and new activities throughout the rest of 2020, with a focus on utilizing alternative virtual operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion section debates the feasibility of alternative implementation approaches and maintaining activities amid travel restrictions.

1. EU4Environment in Armenia:
Progress in 2019-20 and plans till end 2020

2. Result 1. Greener decision making (UNEP)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans for 2020
 Preparations for the in-depth Green Economy policy-
making training course (nomination of candidates
from the Ministry of Environment and request for
nominations extended among other line Ministries)
 Request for training nominations extended among
other line Ministries
 Delivery of a tailored, supervised webinar training to
nominated participants from all EaP countries
 Learning needs assessment conducted among all
nominated trainees
 Launch of an open call for institutions who can host an
introductory on-line GE training and ensure its regular
delivery (even beyond project duration)

3. Result 1. Greener decision making (UNECE: SEA/EIA)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans for 2020
 Activity 1: Guidelines on Transboundary EIA
- initial outline prepared (9 Feb) and agreed with MoE (2
March)
- extended outline submitted to MoE (24 April)
 Activity 2: Support in the development of effective
institutional structure for SEA and EIA (Analysis of
Institutional Framework for Environmental Assessment)
- initial outline of Analysis agreed (2 March)
- design of analysis submitted to MoE (24 April)
- data collection initiated (May)
 Activity 1: Guidelines
- online expert-level consultation with MoE and, if
feasible, MFA (on the extended outline) date tbc,
followed by drafting;
- consultation with stakeholders on draft Guidelines (e-
consultations or virtual consultation provisionally in July
2020) + Guidelines finalization
 Activity 2: Analysis
- finalizing data collection, drafting, review, report
finalization (incl. translation into Armenian) – summer
2020;
 Activity 3: Pilot SEA of a government plan/programme
- launch planned in 2020
- subject to the identification of a strategic document

4. Result 2. Circular economy and new growth opportunities (UNEP)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans for 2020
 Consultations to determine direction and scope of
investment needs analysis (EPR through PET
collection systems)
 Development of a study on EPR investment needs
analysis, in close coordination with national
stakeholders (incl. hiring of an international consultant)

5. Result 2. Circular economy and new growth opportunities (UNIDO)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans for 2020
 National Implementing Partner identified and
contracted
 11 EaP GREEN demonstration SMEs on board to
monitor RECP implementation
 18 SMEs from key industrial sectors identified
for RECP assessments
 Communication strategy on RECP developed
 15 RECP experts and the key stakeholders identified
 RECP project leaflet developed
 Project web page conceptualized
 10 business cases to be developed from results of
monitoring the EaP GREEN alumnae SMEs
 RECP assessments launched in 15 SMEs
 RECP coaching mechanism for SMEs developed and
implemented
 Kick off meeting for RECP stakeholders group
 Platform for RECP experts network conceptualized and
established
 Communication events and on-going newsfeed on
RECP and Circular Economy on the web and in social
media

6. Result 3. Environmental level playing field (OECD)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans for 2020
 Environment dimension of the SME Policy Index (including a
chapter on Armenia)
 Fact-finding mission to Armenia on Projects “Reforming
regulatory regimes for large emission sources” and
“Strengthening of Compliance Assurance Systems” (5-7
November 2019)
 Draft estimates of fossil-fuel subsidies for 2016-2019 for the
OECD-IEA Fossil-fuel subsidies database
 Launch of preparatory work on green
finance and investment (green bonds) project (draft ToR)
 Launch of preparatory work on administrative capacity for
environmental management project (consultations with
SIGMA, draft ToR, outline and concept note)
 Analytical report on the existing approaches in regulatory
regimes for large enterprises
 Regional meeting on BAT (November 2020)
 Review of the compliance assurance system
 Short assessment report to support reform of the systems of
administrative sanctions, monetary payments and penalties for
non-compliance
 Analytical report on fossil-fuel subsidies, including Armenia
 Collection of data on energy-related taxes
 Fact-finding mission on green bonds project (subject to easing
travel policy)
 Regional meeting on green finance (October 2020)
 Analytical report on existing/required administrative capacity
in the environmental sector

7. Result 5. Monitoring progress at environment-economy nexus (OECD)
(5.3. Green growth indicators)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans till end 2020
 Overview of available green growth indicators in the
OECD database for Armenia and initial internal
discussions on its extension
 Country profile
Activities 5.1 and 5.2 on coordination and
communication will be discussed under Items 4 and 5 of
the Agenda.
 Critical amount of work on green growth indicators
in planned for 2021-22
 Video on green growth indicators (regional)
 New edition of the country profile

8. Discussion
1. Feasibility of using alternative modes of operation (e.g. virtual
meetings, web-based trainings, use of local consultants)
2. Maintaining/postponing/advancing activities

9. Item 4: Co-ordination (Result 5.1)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans till end 2020
 Launch event in Armenia (April 2019, Yerevan)
 Inaugural Regional Assembly meeting
(June 2019, Brussels)
 Six EaP country virtual consultations (May-June
2020)
 Second Regional Assembly meeting:
 Virtual (Zoom) meeting on 22-23
September 2020
 in-person meeting in November-December
2020, if travel restrictions lifted, possibly in
Kyiv, Ukraine

10. Item 5: Communication (Result 5.2)
Progress in 2019-20 (May) Plans till end 2020
 Programme leaflet in Armenian
 Web site (OECD domain:
http://www.oecd.org/site/eu4environment/
 Inaugural Newsletter, reaching more than 200
subscribers*
 Promotion of EU4Environment on national web sites
(Armenia 1, Armenia 2)
 Country profile of Armenia
 Videos “About EU4Environment” and “About the Inaugural
Assembly meeting”
 Use of social media (YouTube, Flickr, existing Twitter
channels)
 Generic totems for meetings
* Please sign-up for EU4Environment newsletter here
 Newsletter on a monthly basis (extension of the list of
subscribers)
 Use of Social media on a regular basis and reinforced
coordination with other programmes (i.e. OPEN
Programme)
 Work with “young EU ambassadors”
 Development and launch of a new web site (more
interactive features)
 Production of new videos (Regional Assembly, thematic
videos, interviews)
 Translation of totems/selected documents into national
languages
 Promotion at national and international events (incl. the
EaP Ministerial, 7 October 2020, Luxembourg)