AmCham Legal Committee Meeting

Besides the Legal Committee permanent members, the AmCham President, Mr. Ashot Hovanesian, was also present and participated in the Meeting.

Legal Committee’s 2nd Meeting’s agenda was primarily determined to consist of the recent survey (AmCham Legal Committee Survey on Identification Legal Issues and Processes) results’ evaluation and assessment. Ms. Karine Sarkissian expressed her gratitude to Mr. Ara Khzmalyan and other involved Legal Committee members for preparing the survey. The survey has been sent to AmCham member companies enrolled in the Legal Committee and consisted of twelve questions. Furthermore, in the meticulous discussion of each question and detailed commentaries left, the participant members came up with key focus areas and issues that require the Committee’s attention.

Among the central questions moved forward to the Meeting’s table was the e-draft and the business sector’s awareness about it. Mr. Ara Khzmalyan accentuated the main flaws of the e-draft as a Legal Drafts discussion platform both in terms of effectiveness and usability. Yet, it was commonly agreed that e-draft could fulfill an exceptionally significant role for the environment from the business awareness perspective. Additionally, Mr. Sargis Grigoryan mentioned the example of the Central Bank’s practice on a similar matter in the banking sector and how the knowledge from a certain case can be fostered for the future benefit. Thus, it was decided to come up with a substantial feedback or suggestion package from the AmCham Legal Committee to enhance the efficiency of businesses’ interaction with the e-draft in general. Moreover, it was concluded that a working group should be formed to notify, follow up, and facilitate the training programs on the legal domain for the business sector.

Ms. Elina Markarian brought attention to the importance of pre-e-draft analysis and evaluation as a critical objective for the Legal Committee’s activity. The latter was commonly agreed to be considered an objective that requires updates and meeting with government officials regularly. It is furtherly concluded that in the scope of the Legal Committee’s activity target area, it is of primary importance to ensure the perpetual lobbying and preparatory works conduction using the available resources and channels.

Apart from that, Mr. Sargis Grigoryan brought additional attention to the importance of the Legal Committee’s contribution and facilitation to government’s and Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) relationship balancing. Sargis highlighted the subtle connection between the state’s investment security, reputation, and economic environment predictability ranking with the country’s FDI inflow. It was decided to bring forward the development of a properly functional Investment policy document, which will also be included in the Committee’s prioritized lobbying activities, assumingly in collaboration with the Ministry of Economics.

Additionally, issues regarding the absence of credit/debit notes can positively impact the business environment and more precise issues such as “gift card” type of goods’ inclusion issue in the businesses’ monthly tax reports and arising corruption risks caused, respectively.

Finally, the Labour law issues were discussed, and it was again agreed to come up with precise recommendations for optimizing the particular legal domain since the imperfection and outdatedness of the corresponding legal document causes various hurdles and barriers for the business environment. Not only that, but the overaccentuated anti-discriminatory policy adopted results in backward discrimination from the law to the business.

NEXT STEPS:

In the framework of the AmCham Legal Committee, the survey is once again going to be sent to the member companies and the substantial report production works is to be initiated

The discussed objectives in the direction of lobbying will be formulated and initiated

The formulation and lobbying of Mr. Sargis Grigoryan’s mentioned commentaries on the importance of investment’s protection and stimulation

Members from various AmCham companies participated in the meeting:

Mr. Ashot Hovanesian,

, Ms. Lusine Mnatsakanyan,

րան, Mr. Hayk Malkhasyan,

, Ms. Elina Margaryan,

, Mr. Ara Kzhmalyan,

, Mr. Sargis Grigoryan,

, Mr. Suren Ghalumyan, Deloitte, Ms. Irina Dumanyan, Mentor Graphics Development Service, Ms. Lilit Gevorgyan, Philip Morris Armenia, Ms. Gayane Markosyan,

, Mr. Karen Garseferyan, JTI Armenia