Overview
Standards for trade are determined by Armenia’s commitments within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), World Trade Organization (WTO), and national legislation. The EAEU stipulates a preference for international standards, with some exceptions. The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the EAEU’s executive body, approves the general list of products subject to EAEU technical regulations, procedures for the development and adoption of EAEU technical regulations, the regulations themselves, procedures for the inclusion of certification bodies and testing laboratories in the EAEU registry of compliance assessment bodies, and uniform compliance certificates and declarations. With Armenia’s accession to the EAEU, some standardization requirements have become much more stringent to match EAEU requirements, particularly with regard to sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
At the national level, issues related to standards and technical regulations are the responsibility of bodies under the Ministry of Economy. National authorities are responsible for establishing procedures for compliance with EAEU technical regulations in Armenia, establishing accreditation procedures for conformity assessment bodies, and encouraging the accreditation of conformity assessment bodies.
Armenian companies have been granted a transitional period to comply with EAEU technical regulations. This period began in 2016 and lasted through 2022 for some products. The Armenian government has recommended that traders adopt EAEU technical regulations as soon as possible. All goods produced in, imported into, and circulating within the EAEU must meet EAEU-wide mandatory requirements.
EAEU draft technical regulations are published in Russian on the EEC website for at least 60 days, after which notification is sent to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Any Armenian or foreign entity may comment (in Russian) to the contact listed on the website. Final EAEU technical regulations are published on the EEC website. Once EAEU technical regulations come into force, they prevail over the relevant Armenian technical regulations for the same products.
The National Body for Standards and Metrology (SARM) operates under the Ministry of Economy and is the main standards organization in Armenia. SARM focuses on the research, development, and publication of national, interstate, and international standards. Other key bodies include the National Accreditation Body and Market Surveillance Inspection Body.
Standards
Certificates of quality or safety issued or accepted by the National Body for Standards and Metrology (SARM);; are required for most food and non-food products, tobacco products, alcoholic drinks, and petroleum products as well as for quality management systems (ISO 9001) and environmental management systems (ISO 14001). Armenia has cooperation agreements in the field of standardization with Georgia, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Russia, China, India, Slovakia and Iran.
As the main standards organization in Armenia, SARM has been a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) since 1997. It participates in technical standardization activities of 13 ISO technical committees and 17 subcommittees. It is a partner standardization body of the European Committee for Standardization.
SARM maintains a national fund of standards, which includes international, interstate, regional, Armenian, and other state standards. It coordinates the activities of six standardization technical committees.
As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Armenia is required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade to notify to the WTO proposed technical regulations that could affect trade with other WTO member countries.
Testing, Inspection and Certification
The National Body for Standards and Metrology (SARM) specifies conformity assessment procedures in Armenian on its website. Due to Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the process for obtaining certification documents has changed. Manufacturers may now obtain unified certificates and declarations of conformity for all EAEU member countries. A full set of documents, including the unified list of accredited bodies and laboratories, is available on the EAEU website. A unified list of products subject to certification of conformity and declarations of conformity is also available. Any product not listed on the EAEU website should follow the national standards for conformity of the destination country.
For a complete list of products (except pharmaceuticals) subject to certification procedures, visit the the Armenia’s State Revenue Committee’s website or contact SARM. Companies may also need to consult with the State Service for Food Safety (https://snund.am/hy) regarding applicable regulations.
Imported vitamins and other pharmaceutical products are subject to certification by the Ministry of Health.
Publication of Technical Regulations
The National Body for Standards and Metrology (SARM); publishes new standards for an initial 60 days. A subsequent public comment period allows any Armenian or foreign entity to submit comments via the SARM website. Valid National Standards, International Standards (ISOs), European Standards (ENs), Interstate Standards (GOSTs), Russian Federation Standards (GOSTs R), Technical-Economical and Social classifiers (CRA) and Technical Specifications are available in the catalog on the SARM website.
Before technical regulations are adopted, they are published on a government e-draft portal for public comment open for up to 20 days. After adoption, the regulations are published in official journals and an electronic legal database available online.
EAEU technical regulations are published on the Eurasian Economic Commission website, after which Armenia submits notification of the regulation to the WTO.
Members of the WTO are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to notify the WTO of proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures that could affect trade.
The ePing SPS and TBT platform (https://epingalert.org/), or “ePing,” provides access to notifications made by WTO Members under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), distributed by the WTO from January 16, 1995 to present. ePing is available to all stakeholders free of charge and does not require registration unless the user wishes to receive customized e-mail alerts. Use it to browse notifications on past as well as new draft and updated product regulations, food safety and animal and plant health standards and regulations, find information on trade concerns discussed in the WTO SPS and TBT Committees, locate information on SPS/TBT Enquiry Points and notification authorities, and to follow and review current and past notifications concerning regulatory actions on products, packaging, labeling, food safety and animal and plant health measures in markets of interest.
Per obligation under the TBT Agreement, each WTO Member operates a national TBT (and an SPS) Enquiry Point. National TBT Enquiry Points are authorized to accept comments and official communications from other national TBT Enquiry Points, which are NOT part of the WTO or the WTO Secretariat. All comment submissions from U.S. stakeholders, including businesses, trade associations, U.S domiciled standards development organizations and conformity assessment bodies, consumers, or U.S. government agencies on notifications to the WTO TBT Committee should be sent directly to the U.S. WTO TBT Inquiry Point. Refer to the comment guidance at https://tsapps.nist.gov/notifyus/data/guidance/guidance.cfm for further information. This guidance is provided to assist U.S. stakeholders in the preparation and submission of comments in response to notifications of proposed foreign technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures. Notify U.S., a service formerly maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to provide access to notifications, is no longer operating.
Contact Information
National Body for Standards and Metrology (SARM)
Ministry of Economy
M. Mkrtchyan 5, Yerevan 375010, Armenia
Tel: +374 (10) 56 69 25
Fax: +374 (10) 52 65 77
U.S. Department of Commerce’s Standards Attaché - Belgium (European Union)
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Attaché: Jim Curtis
The Economic and Commercial Unit is the standard point(s) of contact at the Post, available at yerevanbusiness@state.gov.