About EuFoA

Thank you for your interest in European-Armenian relations. Whether you are an Armenian friend of Europe or a European friend of Armenia, our organisation and this website want to help build closer connections. Armenia features higher on the European agenda than ever, but the EU and Armenia must work hard to make projects like the Eastern Partnership become a noticeable success. People in Armenia must feel that the EU is making a positive difference for them, and the EU must see that Armenia is a strategic, economic and cultural partner worth engaging with. The political, economic and cultural co-operation of the past years has shown that much progress is possible and already very visible. This is what European Friends of Armenia wants to support and speed up. We will work hard to link decision makers on both sides and to inform about challenges and successes in European-Armenian relations. This website will document this work and will seek to provide all key information about the state of Armenia's relations with Europe.

 

Thank you for your interest in our organisation. Below we answer the key questions about our aims and background. Do not hesitate to let us know if you have any remaining questions.

 

 

 

What is EuFoA and what are its aims?

 

European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) is an international non-government organisation which seeks to build bridges between Armenian and European decision makers in the fields of politics, business and culture, and supports Armenia's further integration into European political, economic and social structures.

 

 

How does EuFoA achieve this?

By widening our network, offering know-how and contacts for both sides, fostering people-to-people contacts between key members of the civil society and raising the awareness of Europe in Armenia.

 

 

How is EuFoA structured?

 

EuFoA's secretariat is based in Brussels and operates across Europe. Here, a particular emphasis is on working with European institutions, decision makers and interested representatives of the business and cultural community in European capitals.

 

Besides, we created the:

 

• Europe-Armenia Advisory Council (EAAC)

 

• Europe-Armenia Economic Advisory Council (EAEAC).

 

Both aim at promoting the relations between Europe and Armenia from the European side. Composed of leading representatives of the political, business and cultural communities from across Europe, they provide guidance on all major issues in these areas. Both Councils also advise EuFoA on its long-term policies and are an integral part of its wider network.

 

 

 

What are EuFoA's activities?

 

• Develop partnerships with all relevant organisations sharing EuFoA's goals
• Cooperate with EU institutions, other European organisations and governmental agencies dealing with Armenia

 

 

Concrete examples:

 

• Open letter published in European Voice on the rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia

• Joint EuFoA-GMF conference on Armenian-Turkish relations

 

 

 

 

• Joint NATO-EuFoA event in Yerevan

• First international comparative opinion poll in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia

• Cosponsored the Caucasian Chamber Orchestra's "Concert for Peace" in the European Parliament

• Numerous roundtable meetings with high level guests

• Providing reports and background re-search about Armenia related topics

 

 

What is the ideology behind EuFoA?

 

We generally do not restrict our thinking through ideologies. However, the common ground for all our actions can be summarised in the following question: Is X or Y good for the relations between Armenia and Europe? If the answer is YES we will consider making it one of our priorities. All our project work is party-politically neutral, meaning that we never favour any political party or actor over others. For example, whenever politicians or political forces in Armenia or in Europe need to be involved in our study trips, conferences, publications or other project work, we always include actors from different sides of the political spectrum.

 

 

Who supports us?

 

We receive our budget donations from European and international corporations active in Armenia, but also from the Armenian Diaspora in Europe. With their donations, they support the goals which coincide with the priorities of the EU in Armenia: a more efficient and growing Armenian market, increasing EU-Armenia trade opportunities, EU-style equality before the law, good governance, democratic freedom, prosperity and peace for the Armenian people. With all our sponsors we have a strict non-interference agreement, meaning that they do not influence our day-to-day work at any time. Likewise, we do not interfere in their business, meaning that we (like most NGOs) do not publish their names, as it could affect their business activities in other countries (or in Armenia) by being linked to our project work. All our work is party-politically neutral, meaning that whenever politicians or political forces need to be involved in our project work, we always include actors from different sides of the political spectrum and do not favour anyone. In line with this, our NGO budget does not (and never did) receive any contribution from the Armenian government, political parties or politicians.

 

 

Does EuFoA seek cooperation with other NGOs?

 

Yes! EuFoA is open to cooperation with all parts of civil society. EuFoA wants to work with any NGO that shares our goals and values and promote partnerships with different organisations, associations, communities in the global Diaspora and Armenia.

 

 

You are interested in working with EuFoA?

 

Don't hesitate to contact us!

 

 

European Friends of Armenia

Rue de Trèves 49
B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel. +32 2 233 11 00
Fax +32 2 230 03 09
Email: info@eufoa.org

 

If you are interested in getting more information, please click here to download EuFoA's FAQ in English.