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National workshop on Elaboration of Joint Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Bagratashen border crossing point (BCP) was organized on 3-6 June, 2014 in Yerevan within the framework of the Enhancement of the Border Management Capabilities at Bagratashen – Sadakhlo BCP between Armenia and Georgia (BSIBM) project.

The principal objective of this workshop was to present EU best practices related to the development and application of joint SOPs at land BCPs and support the relevant Armenian beneficiaries in elaborating draft inter-agency border-crossing procedures applicable at the BCP level. The participants of the workshop included representatives of all border management agencies of Armenia.

UNDP IBM Programme Manager Grigori Malintsyan said that introduction of joint Standard Operational Procedures is a significant step forward to achieve the IBM goals and ensure compliance with relevant international standards. “As you may know, President of Armenia has recently signed a decree approving the introduction of Single Window/One Stop Shop principle at border crossing points, and SOPs are integral to its effective implementation, since they would lead to unification and simplification of border-crossing processes both for traders and regular travelers,” he said.

The workshop was facilitated by international experts Vladimirs Zaguzovs, head of the Administration Board of State Border Guard of Latvia, Ugis Liepa, independent customs expert, Latvia, and Iveta Sice-Trede, Latvian State Food Security Service, who shared their knowledge, experience and skills on these matters.

It is expected that at the end of the National Workshop draft Standard Operational Procedures will be prepared for Bagratashen Border Crossing Point for joint use by all border agencies represented at the BCP.

The “Provision of Equipment and Infrastructure for the Bagratashen-Sadakhlo Border Crossing Point between Armenia and Georgia and Enhancement of their Capacities” project is implemented since December 2013 with the financial support of the European Union and contributions of the Governments of Armenia and Georgia. The EU funding is €3,582,500.