Objective:
The objective of the European Union’s EU4Green Recovery East programme is to support Eastern Partnership countries in transitioning towards a green, resilient and competitive economy by promoting circular economy approaches, reducing pollution, improving water resource management, strengthening alignment with EU environmental standards, developing environmental data and digital systems, and enhancing cross-border cooperation. The programme also contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU’s Global Gateway initiative.

Partner countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine.

Duration: 2025–2028.

Implementing partners: Environment Agency Austria (lead of the consortium), Expertise France, International Office for Water (OiEau), OECD, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Activities are structured around five priority areas:

1. Circular economy and resource efficiency
Support the introduction of circular economy principles throughout the product life cycle,
assist SMEs in adopting circular business models and reducing material consumption and costs,
promote tools and knowledge needed to implement circular solutions and reduce dependency on imported resources.

2. Water resource protection and pollution reduction
Improve water quality through better monitoring and management systems,
support river basin management planning in line with EU approaches,
promote improvements in water and wastewater infrastructure to protect public health and ecosystems.

3. Approximation to EU environmental standards
Support the alignment of national legislation and policies with the European Green Deal,
assist partner countries in approximating EU environmental acquis, particularly relevant elements of Chapter 27,
strengthen administrative capacity for environmental governance and enforcement.

4. Environmental data, reporting and digitalisation
Support the collection, integration and sharing of environmental data,
develop monitoring systems, indicators and digital tools to support evidence-based policymaking,
enhance cooperation with EU-level environmental information and reporting platforms.

5. Cross-border cooperation on environmental issues
Promote regional cooperation on shared environmental resources such as water and air,
support the implementation of international environmental agreements, particularly under UNECE frameworks,
facilitate joint approaches to address transboundary environmental risks and pollution.

Expected results:
Improved capacity of SMEs and public institutions to transition towards a circular economy,
strengthened water management systems that support climate resilience and ecosystem protection,
enhanced knowledge and implementation of EU environmental standards,
improved environmental data availability and transparency,
stronger regional cooperation and implementation of international environmental commitments.

Activities in Armenia:
The programme supports the Republic of Armenia in introducing circular economy and resource efficiency approaches, improving water resource management and river basin planning, strengthening environmental legislation and governance in line with EU standards and CEPA commitments, enhancing environmental data systems and reporting, and promoting cross-border environmental cooperation.

Importance for Armenia:
The EU4Green Recovery programme is important for Armenia as it combines environmental protection with economic competitiveness and sustainable development. It promotes efficient use of natural resources, supports innovation and green investment, improves environmental governance, and strengthens Armenia’s cooperation with the European Union in the context of CEPA implementation.