The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a distinct component of the EU Neighbourhood Policy, which serves as the EU’s overarching framework for relations with neighbouring countries. The initiative was formally launched at the Prague founding summit of the Eastern Partnership on 7 May 2009.
The EaP is aimed at deepening and strengthening relations between the EU, its Member States, and its Eastern neighbours. It covers six countries – Azerbaijan, Belarus (participation suspended), Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.
The main goal of the EaP is to promote political and economic reforms in the partner countries through:
conclusion of Association Agreements;
establishment of a Free Trade Area (FTA);
visa liberalisation with the EU;
support for stability and security in the region;
development of the energy sector;
environmental protection.
The implementation of the EaP is based on the principles of differentiation, joint ownership and responsibility, as well as the “more for more” approach (the greater the progress of a partner country in reforms, the stronger the EU’s support).
The initiative encompasses both bilateral relations between the EU and partner countries and a multilateral format.
Bilateral format. The EU considers the Eastern Partnership an integral part of the European Neighbourhood Policy, which constitutes the EU’s framework policy towards neighbouring countries. From the EU’s perspective, the entire scope of bilateral relations between Ukraine, the other Eastern partners, and the EU represents the bilateral dimension of the EaP.
Multilateral format. At the multilateral level, the EaP provides for political and expert/sectoral dialogue with all participating countries on the basis of shared interests.
A distinctive feature of the EaP is the broad engagement of civil society in implementing its initiatives through the Civil Society Forum.
Parliamentary cooperation within the EaP is carried out through the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.
Cooperation between the EU regions and those of the EaP countries is ensured through the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities of the EaP (CORLEAP), which includes representatives of the European Committee of the Regions and local and regional authorities of the EaP countries.
Sixth Eastern Partnership Summit
The sixth Eastern Partnership Summit was held in Brussels on 15 December 2021, with the participation of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, EU leaders and EU Member States. Ukraine was represented by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This was the last summit before the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
During the Summit, leaders endorsed the EaP agenda beyond 2020 and the Regional Economic and Investment Plan for the region, along with flagship initiatives for each partner country.
The Plan, with a volume of EUR 2.3 billion, was to be implemented in the form of grants, blended finance, and financial guarantees, with the goal of mobilising up to EUR 17 billion in additional public and private investments.
Current situation
Although the 6th EaP Summit reaffirmed its core objectives – resilient economies and societies, a green and digital agenda, accountable institutions and the rule of law – recent developments in the region further highlighted the shortcomings of the initiative. Despite Ukraine’s repeated calls for enhanced security of the EaP countries, the EU preferred to view security in a “broader” context and made resilience the main focus of the new EaP agenda.
On 12 December 2022, the first meeting of the foreign ministers of the Eastern Partnership initiative since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine took place. The key topic was the future of the EaP policy.
The participants agreed that the initiative remains relevant despite geopolitical changes in the region. The EU will continue to support the resilience of Eastern partners in the face of Russian aggression and the shifting security, energy, and economic situation.
The EU High Representative outlined four points on which the future partnership should be based:
Cooperation should continue in parallel with the enlargement process and be synergistic with other regional initiatives.
The EaP should remain a driving force for regional cooperation.
Security and defence at the regional level must be strengthened.
Efforts should continue to build a safe and stable South Caucasus. New strategic opportunities have emerged in energy and connectivity with the wider Black Sea region and beyond, including Central Asia and the Western Balkans.
Josep Borrell also emphasised that the EaP must remain inclusive.
For Ukraine, the EaP remains primarily an additional platform for regional cooperation and for financing projects in areas of shared interest.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba outlined three principles for modernising the EaP:
The initiative should serve as a transitional instrument for those countries interested in strengthening political association and economic integration with the EU.
The powerful “Global Europe” instrument with a budget of nearly EUR 80 billion should continue to be deployed.
The EaP should become a tool for deepening sectoral cooperation with the EU in security, migration, energy, transport, countering hybrid threats and disinformation – with security as the key component.
Useful links:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eastern-partnership/
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2021/12/15/
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/53527/20211215-eap-joint-declaration-en.pdf
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-ministerial-meetings/2022/12/12/
https://mfa.gov.ua/news/dmitro-kuleba-nazvav-tri-principi-modernizaciyi-shidnogo-partnerstva-yes