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In addition, the Armenia Development Strategy (ADS) for 2014-2025 also recognizes agriculture as a priority sector (…). Several strategies are included in the ADS to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable

Armenia has a fast-growing food processing sector, with export potential based on ecologically friendly green agro-products.

(...) In particular, in terms of production, mining is dominated by a small number of large operators, making the sector vulnerable to external shocks which, in turn, may threaten long-term sustainability. In addition, poor mineral recovery rates and concerns about the potential environmental effects of mining projects continue to affect the sector. According to the authorities, the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources encourages discussion with interested investors about the possibility of introducing new, efficient, environmentally-friendly technologies in the mining sector. Furthermore, the authorities have taken steps, such as the introduction of the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment and the Law on Waste Management, to set standards for responsible mining, to better align the industry with global environmental practices.

The sector's reform process began in the last review period, with the revision of the regulatory framework, the liberalization of contractual mechanisms, and the restructuring, through privatization, of the major mining companies. During the current review period, the mining legislation was updated to bring it into compliance with international standards. Currently, the mining sector is regulated by the following legal acts: the Mining Code of 2012; the Law on Environmental Supervision; the Law on Promoting of State Regulation of Technical Security; the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Expertise; the Civil Code; the Water Code; the Land Code; the Code on Administrative Offences; the Criminal Code; and the Tax Code.

In addition to profits tax at 20%, under the Mining Code, companies mining metal ores and producers of metal ore concentrates and smelting products are required to pay royalties and make payments into the nature and environment preservation fund. (…)

The Government has also adopted legislation needed for the implementation of the Mining Code, which is intended to attract private investment, streamline the management of environmental and social impact assessments, and enhance public disclosure. Furthermore, the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment and the Amendment to Mining Code (2016) are intended to help set standards for responsible mining, to better align the industry with global environmental practices. (...)

(...) Since 2012, the Law on Environmental and Natural Resources Payments has defined royalties as an environmental payment for the sale of extracted metal minerals and products obtained from their processing in the field of metal extraction. The royalty rate is calculated in accordance with the Law for each reporting year (taking into account profitability), which will not be less than 4% of the sales turnover. Previously, the utilization fee was calculated for all types of mineral extraction based on extraction volumes. The Tax Code, which entered into force in 2018, also sets the same rules for the calculation of royalties for extractors of metal minerals and for extractors of non-metallic minerals; the calculation of the cost of environmental benefit based on extracted volumes has been maintained.

Apart from electricity produced from hydro sources and other forms of renewable energy, Armenia depends on imports for all its primary energy needs. After natural gas, nuclear power from the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), using fuel imported from the Russian Federation, is the second largest source of energy, and provides nearly one third of total electricity.

The Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources is responsible for energy policy. The legal and regulatory framework has been relatively stable since 2010, and the principal laws remain: the Law on Energy of 2001; the Law on Energy Saving and Renewable Energy of 2004; and the Law on Safe Utilization of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes of 1999. However, several amendments have been adopted over the past eight years, including those relating to renewable energy and energy efficiency (such as an amendment to the Law on Energy Saving and Renewable Energy to encourage the use of solar power). (...)

The energy section of the ADS for 2014-25 states that the main policy directions are:
• Maximum use of domestic energy sources, specially renewable sources of energy;
(…)
• Replacement of run-down power plants with those employing new technologies;
• Diversification of energy supplies and regional integration;
• Promotion of energy efficiency in all sectors using energy resources; and
(...)