YEREVAN, Armenia — On June 19, the Sweden-funded Waste Policy Armenia (WPA) program of the American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment, in cooperation with the Republic of Armenia (RA) Ministry of Environment, organized a stakeholder consultation meeting on the draft legislation for the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system. The meeting was held at the AUA Manoogian Hall and gathered representatives from the government, public institutions, international and local organizations, and sector experts.
The updated draft legislative package on the EPR system has now been published on the official e-draft platform as part of the ongoing public consultation process. Within the framework of the WPA program, the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment is providing technical assistance to the RA Ministry of Environment in the development of EPR legislation.
Under the proposed framework, producers and importers placing specified products on the Armenian market would assume responsibility for the collection and treatment of post-consumer waste generated from their products. The system is aligned with EPR principles and international best practices and aims to strengthen institutional capacity, improve waste management systems, and support Armenia’s transition toward a more circular economy.
WPA program Manager Harutyun Alpetyan emphasized that the primary objective of the meeting was to present the updated draft EPR legislative package and to facilitate structured dialogue with stakeholders as part of the ongoing public consultation process.“Stakeholder engagement remains a critical component in the development of effective EPR policy, contributing to stronger implementation outcomes and ensuring alignment with international best practices. The consultation process is designed to ensure that stakeholder input is integrated into the development of practical and effective policy solutions,” he remarked.
Prior to the meeting, participants were invited to review the draft legislation and supporting technical materials, as well as submit feedback through the e-draft platform.
The meeting program included a presentation of the draft EPR legislation by Lusine Avetisyan, head of the Strategic Policy department at the RA Ministry of Environment, followed by a structured feedback collection session using participant questionnaires. Later, the program was followed by a summary presentation of key observations and initial responses to stakeholder inputs.
A dedicated discussion and Q&A session provided participants with the opportunity to raise questions and provide feedback on the proposed legislative framework, including institutional arrangements, implementation mechanisms for EPR systems, potential risks, and areas requiring further clarification. The discussion was supported by legal expert Dr. Heghine Grigoryan, economist Dr.Haykaz Fanyan, and program manager Harutyun Alpetyan, who addressed participants’ questions and shared their expertise on the proposed framework.
The WPA program is a four-year initiative implemented by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment and funded by Sweden. The program aims to support the RA Ministry of Environment in the development and adoption of an EPR system based on EU best practices, support the development of a national model for source separation of solid waste, and strengthen sectoral capacity for scaling up program results.
The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity protection and conservation, greening the built environment, sustainable energy, as well as information technology and the environment. Visit http://ace.aua.am.
