Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia – Phase II

Back Peer Review in Armenia: European experience to unlock new opportunities

Anna SAHAKYAN

Modified 1 Year ago.

Peer Review in Armenia: European experience to unlock new opportunities

How can inter-municipal cooperation, regional partnerships, and local economic empowerment drive Armenia’s development? The Congress has mobilised European experts to weigh in offering concrete solutions to strengthen governance and unlock new growth opportunities.

From 19 to 21 February 2025, a Peer Review on Inter-Municipal and Cross-Border Co-operation for Local Economic Development, was organised to provide legal and policy guidance aligned with European standards. Discussions focused on legal frameworks, governance structures, and best practices, with a view to strengthening municipal co-operation and expanding their role in regional development.

Senior experts and policymakers from France, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, and Spain provided practical recommendations to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, sharing insights from similar reforms in their own countries. Through an exchange of experiences, case studies, and legal assessments, the review explored flexible inter-municipal co-operation models, the role of national authorities in cross-border initiatives, and strategies to enhance local economic activities.

The findings will serve as a roadmap for reform, shaping Armenia’s next steps in decentralisation and governance innovation. A public roundtable closed the event, bringing together stakeholders, decision-makers, and local leaders to discuss how Armenia can implement these recommendations. The ultimate goal of this exercise is to outline smarter policies, stronger communities, and a governance model that places municipalities at the heart of sustainable development.

The Peer Review is carried out in the framework of ‘’Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia – Phase II’’, implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026, with the financial support of the Austrian Development Agency

YEREVAN-VEDI, ARMENIA 19-21 FEBRUARY 2025

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The goal and objective of the project

The Project “Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia – Phase II” aimed to support the adoption of revised legislative framework for local self-government in line with European standards to reflect the new territorial-administrative map of Armenia and develop the capacities of local authorities of newly enlarged communities to ensure they can assume new responsibilities and competences. It also seeked to further raise awareness of good governance principles and promote cross-border co-operation (CBC), inter-municipal co-operation (IMC) and economic development at local level.

Thanks to the project, Armenian citizens will benefit from more inclusive, effective, and resilient institutional structures at local level, which are capable of delivering improved public service and promoting sustainable economic development as a result of an improved legislative framework.

Start date: December 2022

Duration: 37 months

Funding: 1 100 000 EUR

Donor: Austrian Development Cooperation

Contact person: Ms Ani Dallakyan, Senior Project Officer

Who benefits from the project?

Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia
Local authorities in Armenia
Local government associations
Civil society organisations
general public

How did the project work?

Through a combination of tailored policy/legislative actions
capacity building of local authorities of newly enlarged communities
raising awareness of good governance principles
promoting cross-border co-operation (CBC), inter-municipal co-operation (IMC) and economic development at local level.

Achievements

Active and substantive participation of communities and civil society in policy development and local governance processes is ensured.
Local economic development policy is adopted to support financial decentralisation and deliver increased fiscal autonomy at local level.
Revised Law on Local Self-Government and relevant constitutional amendments is adopted in light of stakeholder contribution and in line with European standards.
Improved accessibility to and provision of public service at local level support equal access to resources for women, youth, and vulnerable people.
Start-up grants support the completion of feasibility studies into inter-community cooperation and the establishment of intercommunity arrangements to support shared service delivery.
Start-up grants on cross-border cooperation support the establishment of cross-border economic development initiatives.
Platform for exchange of experience and best practice in inter-municipal cooperation, cross-border cooperation and economic development is established to facilitate peer learning among Communities.