On 22 September 2026, EU4Business brought together representatives of the European Union, the Government of Armenia, international partners and the Armenian private sector in Yerevan to discuss new investment opportunities in Armenia and the latest results of EU support to businesses in the country.
The event combined an information session on the EU’s Call for Expressions of Interest, which invites companies from Armenia, the EU and the EEA to propose concrete investment projects in Armenia and explore potential EU support for their implementation, with a presentation of the latest EU4Business results and a discussion with Armenian entrepreneurs about their experience of EU-supported programmes.
Turning investment opportunities into concrete projects
The investment session brought together more than 40 representatives of leading Armenian companies, alongside representatives of the European Commission and Armenia’s Ministry of Economy, to discuss opportunities for private-sector investment in Armenia.
The Call for Expressions of Interest, launched by the European Commission in May 2026, seeks to identify concrete investment opportunities and explore how the EU could help address technical and financial constraints to their implementation. Priority areas include energy and the green transition, transport and logistics, digital technologies, health and education, advanced manufacturing, and agriculture and agri-food.
The session provided businesses with practical information on the Call’s objectives, eligibility and assessment criteria, investment requirements and the EU financial and technical support that could potentially help viable projects move forward.
The discussion also gave Armenian companies an opportunity to raise practical questions directly with European Commission representatives. Topics ranged from the eligibility of greenfield and brownfield investments and rules of origin to the application and assessment process and the challenges Armenian companies face in accessing EU value chains.
EU4Business: from figures to business impact
The second part of the event featured the EU4Business Annual Report 2025, presenting the Initiative’s 2025 results and the impact of EU support on small and medium-sized enterprises in Armenia and across the Eastern Partnership.
In 2025, €135.2 million in EU support was disbursed through EU4Business programmes across the region, reaching more than 76,000 SMEs. EU-supported businesses created nearly 90,000 new jobs, while more than 474,000 existing jobs were sustained. The turnover of supported SMEs reached €8.9 billion, an increase of 11.7% compared with the previous year.
The discussion looked beyond the headline figures to examine how support translates into stronger businesses – through improved access to finance, business development services and a more enabling business environment. Representatives of the Armenian Government and international partners also discussed Armenia’s evolving business environment, growing demand for advisory and capacity-building services, and the importance of strengthening SME and export competitiveness.
The final part of the event put businesses themselves at the centre of the discussion. Representatives of Beeography, Museum of Illusions and Donos Dried Fruit shared how EU-supported programmes had helped them address practical business challenges – from upgrading production and improving quality and management processes to strengthening marketing, developing new products and exploring opportunities in international markets.
Their experiences illustrated the different ways EU support can accompany businesses at various stages of development and highlighted the value of combining finance with technical expertise, training and advisory support.
The discussions in Yerevan also provided an opportunity for businesses, government representatives, EU institutions and implementing partners to exchange feedback directly – helping connect the EU4Business results with the practical challenges and opportunities facing Armenian companies.
EU4Business is the European Union’s umbrella initiative supporting private-sector development in the Eastern Partnership countries. It helps SMEs improve access to finance and business development services and supports reforms aimed at creating a better business environment.
