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20 deliverables for 2020
Cross cutting deliverables
The EU and partner countries’ cooperation features three cross-cutting issues: engagement with civil society, women’s empowerment and gender balance, and strategic communication.
While progress has been achieved in the area of strengthening strategic communication, creating an enabling environment for civil society and independent media needs urgent attention.
Cross cutting deliverables
The EU and partner countries’ cooperation features three cross-cutting issues: engagement with civil society, women’s empowerment and gender balance, and strategic communication.
While progress has been achieved in the area of strengthening strategic communication, creating an enabling environment for civil society and independent media needs urgent attention.
- Moderate progress:
- On track:
- Completed:
- Capacity building actions ongoing in all Partner Countries targeting grassroots organisations, active citizenships and mobilisation of local resources.
- 40 young civil society leaders’ fellowships awarded.
- Boosted engagement with the Civil Society Forum for enhanced policy dialogue in the context of the revised Eastern Partnership institutional set up.
- New generations of Gender Action Plans have been developed in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine have specific laws on gender equality.
- All six Partner Countries have adopted specific legislation against domestic violence, while Armenia and Ukraine have now further amended the legislation.
- Over 50% of the 6.000 beneficiaries of the EU4Youth programme are women.
- Significant steps have been taken on more coherent branding, messaging, visibility and outreach, for example regional campaigns “stronger together”.
- Communication campaigns encompassing all EU actions are ongoing in all Partner Countries. For example in Georgia (“EU4Georgia”) and Ukraine (“Moving forward together”). More diverse and regional audiences reached through the active 500 Young European Ambassadors.
- According to the EU Neighbours East survey 2018, more than 60% of citizens from Partner Countries have a positive perception of the EU and its values.
- Improved resilience to disinformation with Action Plan presented in December 2018.
- More than 600 journalists and media professionals were trained in 2018 thanks to EU support in journalism literacy and skills, contributing to media independence.
- EaP citizens’ positive perception of the EU is increasing: trust in the EU is higher than ever, with 61% (up 4% since 2017) of citizens considering the EU as the most trustworthy foreign institution.
- Creating an enabling environment for civil society
- Supporting pluralism and independent media
- Ensuring gender equality and non-discrimination
Continued special attention needs to be paid to Deliverable 1 (civil society support), by strengthening more actively an enabling environment for civil society in order to address the closing of civic space.
In Deliverable 2 (Gender equality and non-discrimination), results remain uneven. While Georgia ratified the Istanbul Convention, further steps towards ratification and implementation are expected across the region.
In Deliverable 3 (strategic communication and independent media) good progress has been noticed across the region, while more efforts are needed to strengthen independent media.
Stronger economy
Building the economic resilience of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine is at the heart of the EU’s contribution towards having a stable neighbourhood.
In this context, the EU and EaP partner countries are working together to develop stronger, diversified and vibrant economies across the region. Significant progress has been made to help small and medium-sized businesses (SME) grow; to attract investments; to create jobs in new sectors; and to increase trade opportunities by supporting access to new markets.
Stronger economy
Building the economic resilience of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine is at the heart of the EU’s contribution towards having a stable neighbourhood.
In this context, the EU and EaP partner countries are working together to develop stronger, diversified and vibrant economies across the region. Significant progress has been made to help small and medium-sized businesses (SME) grow; to attract investments; to create jobs in new sectors; and to increase trade opportunities by supporting access to new markets.
- Moderate progress:
- On track:
- Completed:
- Since 2016, over 9500 SMEs (70% in DCFTA countries) have benefited from EU financial assistance. More than 30.000 jobs have been created or sustained, and over 218 business support organisations were assisted through the EU4Business initiative.
- Out of EUR 200 million in new access to finance programmes committed since the end of 2016, around 50% (EUR 100 million) will mobilise local currency lending. Policy work is ongoing to increase SME’s access to finance through non-banking financial alternatives.
- Since 2016, over 250 Local Authorities have committed to submit a plan for Local Economic Development (and 120 have already prepared it), while 16 urban demonstration projects have been kick-started.
- Eastern Partnership countries agreed on a detailed roadmap for an intra-EaP regional roaming agreement by 2020.
- All Partners are preparing National Broadband Strategies aligned with similar EU strategies.
- The number of companies from DCFTA countries exporting to the EU has significantly increased since 2015: Georgia by 35%, Moldova by 40% and Ukraine by 26%.
- Volumes of trade between all the Eastern Partnership countries and the EU have increased since 2017: by 12% with Armenia, 28% with Azerbaijan, 16% with Belarus, 3% with Georgia, 14% with Moldova and 9% with Ukraine.
- Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine continued approximation with the EU technical regulations framework.
- More than 50% of the EU’s loans to SMEs are now in local currency. For example: 6,500 Georgian SMEs have received loans under the EU4Business Initiative
- Increase in trade between all six partner countries and the EU since 2016: by 15% with Armenia, 17% with Azerbaijan, 19% with Belarus, 6% with Georgia, 20% with Moldova, and 24% with Ukraine
- Consensus with all six partner countries on a perspective for a roaming agreement for the region by 2020.
Special attention needs to be paid to Deliverable 7 (digital markets) to ensure the commitments made are effectively implemented, in particular on coordinating national spectrum strategies among partners and with the EU.
In Deliverable 8 (trade), it is necessary to address the mixed performance of intra-regional trade and to assure the full implementation of trade agreements to maximise benefits in the medium and long term.
Stronger governance
Scaling-up efforts in the area of strengthening institutions and good governance is a top priority for the EU in the EaP countries where challenges remain.
In particular, more efforts need to be made in the rule of law, implementing key judicial reforms, and in the fight against corruption. These are the preconditions for citizens’ trust in the state, long-term stability and an investment-safe climate.
Stronger governance
Scaling-up efforts in the area of strengthening institutions and good governance is a top priority for the EU in the EaP countries where challenges remain.
In particular, more efforts need to be made in the rule of law, implementing key judicial reforms, and in the fight against corruption. These are the preconditions for citizens’ trust in the state, long-term stability and an investment-safe climate.
- Moderate progress:
- On track:
- Completed:
- Legal frameworks on confiscation are in place in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine with different confiscation regimes, including criminal confiscation, civil forfeiture and/or administrative forfeiture.
- E-asset declaration systems have been set up in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine; Azerbaijan has expressed its interest in such systems.
- Initial steps towards establishing track records of judges’ and prosecutors’ performance have been taken, such as the online appraisal system for prosecutors in Georgia and planned work or initiatives in Armenia and Ukraine.
- Ukraine is establishing a High-Anti-Corruption Court and selected its judges in cooperation with international experts.
- Increased citizen engagement through high-level civil society dialogue in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine paves the way to open and accountable Eastern Partnership state administrations.
- The administrations have become more accessible and service-oriented with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine having introduced service-centre one-stop-shops and/or e-government services.
- Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine have adopted (sub)strategies and action plans on cybercrime. Although not yet fully aligned with the Budapest Convention, all six Eastern Partnership countries have set up specialised cybercrime units within the law enforcement.
- Increased cooperation with EU Agencies has led to the arrest of members of organised crime groups from Eastern Partnership countries active in the EU.
- Implementation of the Administrative Arrangement on stronger cooperation in civil protection and disaster management signed with Georgia in July 2018 is ongoing.
- Strengthening the rule of law
- Implementing key judicial reforms and reinforcing public administration
- Strengthening security cooperation, notably to tackle organised crime, support conflict resolution, and protect against new threats and cybersecurity
Special attention needs to be paid under Deliverable 9 (rule of law) to address high-level and complex corruption across the region, among others through the effective operationalisation of the anticorruption institutional framework, establishment of track records of cases, the effective use of financial investigation tools and publicly available beneficial ownership registry data.
Regarding Deliverable 10 (key judicial reforms), progress is still needed as regards merit-based recruitment, reduction of backlog of cases and enforcement of judgements in civil and administrative cases. With first steps taken, actual track records of judges’ and prosecutor’s performance still needs to be established.
In Deliverable 12 (security), substantive criminal law and criminal procedural law, provisions on cybercrime and electronic evidence are still needed to fully comply with the Budapest Convention. In addition, more emphasis should still be put on disaster risk management than only emergency responses.
Stronger connectivity
The EU’s work with partner countries to improve transport links and infrastructure, boost energy resilience and efficiency, as well as the use of renewable energy to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions has resulted in significant progress.
Continuing to invest in these areas will lead to greater sustainable economic development and concrete benefits to the lives of citizens by reducing energy dependence and consumption.
Stronger connectivity
The EU’s work with partner countries to improve transport links and infrastructure, boost energy resilience and efficiency, as well as the use of renewable energy to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions has resulted in significant progress.
Continuing to invest in these areas will lead to greater sustainable economic development and concrete benefits to the lives of citizens by reducing energy dependence and consumption.
- Moderate progress:
- On track:
- Completed:
- High-level Understandings on defining the indicative extended core TEN-T network were signed and the related European Commission Delegated Act entered into force in January 2019. The Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan has been published and investment priority projects are being planned.
- All countries have endorsed a Declaration on Road Safety. Road Safety Investment Programmes have been approved in Armenia and Ukraine.
- Progress on the Southern Gas Corridor is on track. First commercial deliveries from Azerbaijan to Turkey started in 2018.
- A roadmap for the identification of energy interconnectivity projects of interest to the Eastern Partnership was adopted.
- Within the framework of Covenant of Mayors, 134 Local Authorities have committed to cut CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020 and 210 Local Authorities by 30% by 2030.
- In 2018, the Ukrainian window of the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) had the best results since establishment. E5P has leveraged a total investment of EUR 770 million in five Partner Countries.
- The high level EU-IFIs energy efficiency initiative has increased political ownership in Georgia and Ukraine, e.g. in Ukraine an Energy Efficiency Fund for residential buildings was established. The high-level EU-IFIs energy efficiency initiative was extended to Armenia in March 2019.
- Ukraine adopted a Low Emission Development Strategy until 2050.
- Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine adopted new laws on environmental assessment of strategies, plans, and investment projects.
- To protect and connect natural areas, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have officially adopted Emerald Network sites on their territories. Armenia and Azerbaijan officially nominated such sites.
- Armenia, Belarus and Moldova officially adopted three river basins plans in line with EU benchmarks; other five plans are in the pipeline. Ukraine launched a European-like water monitoring system in January 2019. Five Partner Countries put in place one-stop-shops for environmental data.
- The indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan finalized, foreseeing approximately 5,500 kilometres of roads and railways across the region by 2020 and an additional 4,600 kilometres by 2030
- The recent inauguration of the Azerbaijan – Georgia section of the Southern Gas Corridor strengthens common energy security
- A high-level energy efficiency initiative between the EU and International Financial Institutions has led to improved legislation and investments to reach more people, municipalities and SMEs to help cut energy bills, and improve standards
Special attention needs to be paid to Deliverable 14 (energy security), where challenges related to interconnection projects still need to be overcome. Additional efforts are needed on the unbundling of the gas transmission system operators in those partners who are Energy Community Contracting Parties.
In Deliverable 15 (energy efficiency), further efforts are needed on regulatory aspects of energy efficiency, monitoring and implementation of the reduction of CO2 emissions.
Other transboundary environmental problems need further attention on Deliverable 16.
Stronger society
The EU and six Eastern partners’ societies are now closer than ever due to the increased number of opportunities for more contacts between people across borders.
Together, the EU and partner countries have invested in young people’s skills, entrepreneurship and employability, including by developing education policies.
Stronger society
The EU and six Eastern partners’ societies are now closer than ever due to the increased number of opportunities for more contacts between people across borders.
Together, the EU and partner countries have invested in young people’s skills, entrepreneurship and employability, including by developing education policies.
- Moderate progress:
- On track:
- Completed:
- Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine continue to overall fulfil the Visa Liberalisation Action Plans benchmarks.
- Modernisation of Border Crossing Points’ network is on track – e.g. jointly operated border crossing points between Poland and Ukraine and between Moldova and Ukraine.
- Integrated border management strategy has been introduced to all Eastern Partners and structured cooperation is now in place.
- The Mobility Partnrship implementation with Belarus was launched.
- The EU4Youth programme is operational, encompassing 84 capacity building projects n the areas of civil society and entrepreneurship addressing challenges for youth entrepreneurship and disadvantaged youth, already to the benefit of over 6.000 young people. EU4Youth second phase adopted in December 2018, including newly launched call for proposal on social entrepreneurship.
- Erasmus+ provides strong support to mobility and quality of formal and non-formal education, 25.000 students and staff members participating in academic exchanges, 37.000 young people involved in youth exchanges, mobility and volunteering, and 1.700 schoolsparticipating in eTwinning Plus.
- Eastern Partnership countries participation in Creative Europe programme has increased; cultural organisations are involved in nearly 30 projects.
- Eastern Partnership European School in Tbilisi operational since September 2018, with 30 diploma students from all Partner Countries. Scholarship scheme covering tuition and boarding costs in place for 30-35 new students per year.
- All Partner Countries have full access to all Horizon 2020 funding schemes for individual researchers, with 94 currently participating from Eastern Partnership region.
- National research and education networks from all Partner Countries are integrated in the pan-European GÉANT network.
- The Eastern Partnership European School was launched in Tbilisi welcoming the first 30 pupils from the six partner countries
- Since 2014, 30,000 young people have taken part in exchanges, mobility and volunteering through Erasmus+ and over 1,000 schools from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have been involved in exchanges and professional development for teachers through the eTwinning Plus platform
- The EU4Youth programme is actively supporting the employability and entrepreneurship of around 23,000 young people in partner countries, and 200 Young European Ambassadors are fostering cooperation with youth organisations across the EU and the partner countries
- All partner countries have full access to Horizon 2020 funding schemes for individual researchers.
Special attention needs to be paid to Deliverable 17, by continuing to fulfil the recommendations of the Visa Suspension Mechanism Report. Effective cooperation to implement the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements should continue, in particular for Armenia and Azerbaijan, in order to consider in due course, if conditions allow, the opening of a Visa Liberalisation Dialogue, as well as to Deliverable 18, by strengthening existing efforts to address quality assurance in education and challenges for youth employment and young people not engaged in education, employment or training.
