Europe is a formidably diverse mosaic of cultures, of which Armenians are a part. The European Union, the most successful political experiment of the 20th Century, is enormously significant for those who have a stake or an interest in things Armenian.

During the last 20 years, the European institutions have gradually developed a set of policies that aim to promote diversity and protect minority cultures and languages. They have extended an offer of membership to Turkey, where most Armenians in Europe originate from. And they have played an increasing role in helping build up Armenia’s political and economic system while preparing its integration into Europe.

This booklet is a practical guide to the institutions and policies of the European Union written from the perspective of Armenians in Europe. It aims to provide a concise overview of the main policies of specific interest to them, and seeks to encourage an active and constructive approach to citizenship. Its purpose is certainly not to formulate a position or make recommendations; but it does hint, where necessary, at particularly promising areas of work. If some of the information provided invites further reflection and debate, so much the better.

European policy-making, however, is both a vast field of enquiry and a rapidly shifting one. A booklet of this type cannot hope to cover all relevant fields of policy or to anticipate future developments. So we have provided references and sources of information which are well worth investigating. We include indications on the people who take the decisions and on possible EU funding sources. In any event, we encourage the reader to look up www.insideeurope.eu, which is regularly updated to reflect the most important policy developments relevant to the issue.

For further reading, check the full study here.