Policy Profile Armenia
In March 2024, the European Parliament passed a resolution confirming Armenia meets Article 49 requirements and may apply for EU membership. To advance in the admission process, Armenia has aligned its legislation and policies with EU regulations, including those related to heritage and culture.
The European Union maintains a Delegation to Armenia in Yerevan, and the Government of Armenia maintains a Mission to the EU in Brussels.
The respective roles and functions of state government bodies, local self-government bodies, and non-state organisations in cultural policy are outlined in specific laws and regulations. Key legislation includes the Law on Local Self-Government (2002, amended 2021), the Law on Basics of Cultural Legislation (2002, amended 2024), and the Law on Public Organisations (2016). Most laws regulating cultural policy were adopted in the 2000s, forming the modern cultural policy system, but were revised in 2018-2020 to adapt to new political and institutional changes.
The Law on the Basics of Cultural Legislation outlines the government’s responsibilities in cultural policy, including implementing state cultural policies, attracting financial resources for cultural development, defining benefits for certain groups, and granting legal statuses to non-commercial cultural organisations.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (RA MoESCS) implements state cultural policy, develops cultural legislation, participates in educational standards development, influences foreign cultural policy, controls cultural value import/export, submits petitions for state awards, creates a unified state information system, manages cultural statistics, registers and preserves cultural heritage objects. Recent changes highlight the decentralisation of cultural policy and increased transparency and public involvement in decision-making, with new legal changes, public debates, and transparent competitions in cultural development becoming more prominent post revolution.
The Republic of Armenia (RA) is divided into ten regions and the city of Yerevan, governed by the law “On Local Self-Government in the City of Yerevan.” Public administration in these regions is regulated by the President’s decree “On Public Administration in the Regions of the Republic of Armenia” and other legal acts. Each regional administration includes departments of cultural management, with the governor being the primary person responsible for regional administration and cultural policy implementation. Governors implement government policies, coordinate regional services, and conduct regional cultural activities aligned with state policy goals. They ensure the execution of state cultural policy, organise public cultural events, support national rituals, oversee historical and cultural monument preservation, and manage cultural and recreational facilities in their regions.
View all Armenia policies gathered so far
* = This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence