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The Eastern Partnership

A path to stability and prosperity
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) completes the EUs foreign policy towards Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus countries as a specific Eastern dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Launched in May 2009 at the Prague Summit, the EaP fosters the necessary conditions to accelerate political association and further economic integration between the European Union and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The EaP Foreign Ministers emphasized at their meeting on 13 December 2010 the strategic importance of the Partnership as a way to deepen and strengthen relations between the EU and the partner countries, to speed up their political association, economic integration and approximation towards the EU and to support their modernization efforts. The Partnership foresees stronger political engagement with the EU, namely: the prospect of a new generation of Association Agreements; integration into the EU economy with deep free trade agreements; easier travel to the EU through gradual visa liberalisation, accompanied by measures to tackle illegal immigration; enhanced energy security arrangements; increased financial assistance; deeper cooperation on environment and climate issues; increased people-to-people contacts and greater involvement of civil society. Since its launch in 2009, the Eastern Partnership has gone a long way in shaping the agenda of cooperation between the EU and its eastern neighbours and providing a solid framework for sharing expertise and best practices. The initiative has given rise to new platforms for dialogue at the government and expert level (thematic platforms), as well as in the fields of parliamentary and participatory democracy (Euronest; Civil Society Forum and the Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities - COLREAP see below).

 The Eastern Partnership has established itself as an important initiative that will help to shape the future of our continent

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy tefan Fle

In a speech at the Bratislava Global Security Forum on 3 March 2011, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy tefan Fle said: The Eastern Partnership has established itself as an important initiative that will help to shape the future of our continent. We still have a long way to go to realise our common goals. Success will depend upon the efforts and commitments of both sides and all of the various actors involved.

How it works
The EaP objectives are achieved through the bilateral and multilateral tracks. The former aims to deepen the relations between the EU and each partner country through the conclusion of bilateral agreements such as the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, as well as through the dialogue on visa liberalization, through technical assistance and closer bilateral cooperation in fields ranging from economy and energy to environment and research. The multilateral track is a framework in which the EU and the Eastern partners tackle common challenges as a group (as opposed to the one-onone EU-partner bilateral track). The multilateral track advances the EaP objectives through the four policy (thematic) platforms, namely: democracy, good governance and stability economic integration and convergence with EU sectoral policies energy security contacts between people There are also a number of agship initiatives, which give additional momentum and more visibility to the Partnership, while seeking to mobilise multi-donor support from different International Financial Institutions and investment from the private sector. These are: Integrated Border Management Programme Small and Medium-size Enterprise (SME) Flagship Initiative Regional energy markets and energy efficiency Diversification of energy supply: the Southern Energy Corridor Prevention of, preparedness for, and response to natural and man-made disasters Flagship initiative to promote good environmental governance

Funds to back the Partnership

The EaP funds, totalling 600 million made available to Eastern Partnership countries over the period 201013 (85 million in 2010, 110 million in 2011, 175 million in 2012 and 230 in 2013), aim to support three main areas: Comprehensive Institution Building programmes to assist reforms (about 175 million); Pilot regional development programmes to address regional economic and social disparities (about 75 million); Implementation of the EaP, focusing on democracy, governance and stability, economic integration and convergence with EU policies, energy security, and contacts between people with the aim of bringing the partners closer to the EU (about 350 million). The EaP allocation constitutes about a quarter of the total funding the EU is providing to the partner countries in 2010-2013.

Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

In its 2008 Communication on the Eastern Partnership, the European Commission underlined that ongoing reforms [in Eastern Partner countries] require stronger participation of civil society to enhance oversight of public services and strengthen public confidence in them. The idea of an Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) was subsequently endorsed at the 2009 Prague Summit that launched the Eastern Partnership. It aims to promote contacts among Civil Society Organisations of the EaP and facilitate dialogue with public authorities, sharing information and experience on the partner countries steps toward transition, reform and modernisation. The CSF held its first meeting in November 2009 with more than 200 Civil Society Organisations from the Partner countries and EU Member States. The Forums mandate is to inuence EU institutions and national governments by presenting its recommendations during their decision-making process. Four CSF Working Groups have been established, to follow the work of the four EaP thematic platforms, and to enrich their agenda: WG 1. Democracy, human rights, good governance and stability WG 2. Economic integration and convergence with EU policies WG 3. Environment, climate change and energy security WG 4. Contacts between people

Euronest Parliamentary Assembly

The EU-Neighbourhood East Parliamentary Assembly (EURO-NEST PA) aims to provide a parliamentary dimension to the Eastern Partnership, bringing together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) with elected representatives from the Eastern Partner countries. It held its inaugural meeting on 3 May 2011, and its first ordinary session on 14-15 September. Acting as the parliamentary forum promoting the necessary conditions to accelerate political association and further economic integration between the EU and its Eastern Partners, the Euronest PA seeks to contribute to the strengthening, development and visibility of the EaP, as the institution responsible for parliamentary consultation, supervision and monitoring of the Partnership. The Euronest PA consists of two components: the European Parliament delegation (60 Members); the Eastern European Partners delegations (10 Members each for political reasons, Belarus for the time being does not take part in the Assemblys activities).

It includes the plenary, four standing committees (Committee on Political Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy; Committee on Economic Integration, Legal Approximation and Convergence with EU Policies; Committee on Energy Security; Committee on Social Affairs, Education, Culture and Civil Society) and two working groups (one on Belarus and one on the Rules). The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly meets, in principle, once a year, alternately in an Eastern Partner country and on the premises of the European Parliament (Brussels, Luxembourg or Strasbourg). Website http://www.euronest.europarl.europa.eu/euronest

A Steering Committee of 17 people facilitates the progress of the EaP CSF. An independent body, it has representatives from each working group, the EU and the EaP countries. The EaP CSF holds a conference at least once a year. Website http://www.eap-csf.eu

Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership
The Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) was set up by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) in 2011 following an invitation from the European Commission. CORLEAP aims to bring a regional and local dimension into the Eastern Partnership and is a platform for regular dialogue between local and regional authorities from the EU and its EaP partner countries. It seeks to involve the local and regional levels of government in the implementation of the Eastern Partnership in order to strengthen local and regional self-government in the partner countries and take the Eastern Partnership closer to citizens. The body brings together 36 regional and local politicians, 18 from the Eastern Partner countries and 18 from the EU Committee of the Regions. Each Eastern Partner country has three seats. The EU seats are allocated to reect the political composition of the CoR and thus divided between its four political groups. The first CORLEAP meeting took place on 8 September 2011. Thereafter, the conference will continue as a yearly event. A policy of regular communication between the members will be developed to ensure its success. Website www.cor.europa.eu/corleap

Find out more

ENPI Info Centre Eastern Partnership (EaP) Glossary http://www.enpi-info.eu/files/interview/glossary_en.pdf EUs Guide on Eastern Partnership Funding http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/docs/eap_vademecum_en.pdf Eastern Partnership Frequently asked questions (FAQ) http://europa. eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/217&format =HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en EaP Multilateral platforms - http://eeas.europa.eu/eastern/platforms/ index_en.htm EaP Flagship initiatives http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/initiatives/index_en.htm EaP Civil Society Forum - http://eeas.europa.eu/eastern/civil_society/index_en.htm EaP Civil Society Forum on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ pages/Eastern-Partnership-Civil-Society-Forum/290226492663 The Committee of the Regions and the EUs Eastern Partnership http://www.cor.europa.eu/pages/CoRAtWorkTemplate. aspx?view=detail&id=c64d887c-6a25-41fc-a298-66a6f299e40b ENPI Info Centre webpage Eastern Partnership Culture Programme http://www.enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=286&id_type=10 ENPI Info Centre webpage Eastern Partnership http://www.enpiinfo.eu/eastportal/content//506/Eastern%20Partnership ENPI Info Centre Quotes pool Eastern Partnership http://www.enpi-info.eu/list_type.php?id_type=11&eupolicy=4 Key documents: Joint Declaration of the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit, Prague, 7 May 2009 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_ data/docs/pressdata/en/er/107589.pdf Implementation of the Eastern Partnership: Report to the meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers, 13 December 2010 http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/docs/eap_meeting_foreign_affairs_131210_en.pdf Implementation of the Eastern Partnership: Report to the meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers, 8 December 2009 http://www.eeas. europa.eu/eastern/docs/2009_eap_implementation_report_en.pdf Eastern partnership: Communication from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, 3 December 2008 http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/docs/com08_823_en.pdf Eastern partnership: Commission staff working document, 3 December 2008 http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/docs/ sec08_2974_en.pdf

Landmark events
2011 29-30 September Eastern Partnership Summit in Warsaw http://pl2011.eu/en/content/easternpartnership-summit 14-15 September First ordinary session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly http://www.europarl.europa.eu/president/en/press/speeches/sp-2011/ sp-2011-September/speeches-2011September-2 8 September Launch of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities of the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/564 3 May 2011 Launch of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly http://www.europarl.europa.eu/en/pressroom/ content/20110502IPR18529/html/ EURONEST-Parliamentary-Assembly-inaugurated 2010 13 December - second Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers meeting http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/ foraff/118435.pdf 1819 November - second Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum meeting http://eeas.europa.eu/eastern/civil_ society/second_csf_meeting_2010_ en.htm 24 May - Eastern Partnership Informal Foreign Ministers Meeting http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/10/25 9&format=HTML&aged=0&language= EN&guiLanguage=en 2009 8 December - first Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers meeting http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1891&for mat=HTML&aged=0&language=EN 16-17 November - first Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum meeting http://eeas.europa.eu/eastern/ civil_society/first_csf_meeting_2009_ en.htm