EU Council approves a 2-year customs exemption for around 80% of Armenia's exports to the EU in response to Russia's import bans

According to Eunews, the EU Council formally adopted temporary trade liberalisation measures for Armenia on 24 September 2026; initial approval had been given on 2 September. The arrangement will apply for 2 years and covers around 80% of Armenia's exports to the EU: almost 99% of fresh fruit, vegetable and plant exports and more than 91% of beverage and spirits exports. Some agricultural products are subject to tariff quotas. The preferences are conditional on compliance with rules of origin, cooperation with EU authorities and Armenia not introducing new restrictions on EU imports, and there is also a safeguard clause protecting EU producers.

According to EUbusiness, the EU set aside 52 million euros in support under the same package; 34 million euros of this was disbursed within two weeks, bringing total EU financing to Armenia to 288 million euros. A separate 20 million euro peace package was also announced for Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russian pressure lies behind the measure: according to The Moscow Times, after Pashinyan's party won 49.8% of the vote in the 8 June elections, the Russian agricultural inspection agency announced on 11 June a broad import ban covering fruit, vegetables, grain, dried fruit and live plants, and said it planned to block the transit of these products through Russian territory to Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

In the same week as the decision there was also contact on the Türkiye front: according to Armenpress, the meeting between Pashinyan and Erdoğan in New York began on 23 September. According to Horizon Weekly, the meeting addressed trade and economic relations, the joint restoration of the historic Ani bridge and the TRIPP project; however, despite a process conducted through special envoys since January 2022, the two countries have no full diplomatic relations and the land border remains closed.