What is it?
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
In this framework, guiding the EU's relations with its neighbours is the EU’s Global Strategy and the revised European Neighbourhood Policy which call on the need to focus on increasing the stabilisation and resilience of the EU's Eastern neighbours.
Within this framework, there is a joint commitment to deliver tangible results for citizens across the region. In support of a more results-oriented approach towards the Eastern Partnership, the European Commission and European External Action Service identified 20 key deliverables for 2020, with milestones identified during the last EaP Summit, which took place in Brussels in November 2017.
These commitments by the EU, its Member States and the six Partner countries cover the four main priority areas of the Eastern Partnership:
- Stronger Economy (economic development and market opportunities);
- Stronger Governance (strengthening institutions and good governance);
- Stronger Connectivity (connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change);
- Stronger Society (mobility and people-to-people contacts).
A structured engagement with a wider range of civil society organisations, furthers gender equality and non-discrimination, as well as clearer and tailor-made strategic communications are also being pursued as across all areas.
In September 2018, an internal monitoring was carried out by the European Commission and the EEAS to review the progress achieved under the 20 Deliverables for 2020. The key results achieved so far are available here.
In a wider context, the EaP also supports delivery on key global policy goals set by the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
How does it work?
The overall framework guiding relations between the EU and its six Eastern partners is provided by the relevant bilateral agreements, such as the Association Agreements, as well as the Association Agendas and the Partnership Priorities and the EaP 20 Deliverables for 2020 aligned along the four key priority areas.
To ensure a broadly streamlined approach, the new multi-annual assistance frameworks for the period 2017/2018-2020 are being designed in an inclusive manner between the EU, its Member States and the six Partner countries to act as a work plans guiding the actions until 2020, supporting delivering under existing commitments, and allowing for an easier monitoring of progress.
Supporting the comprehensive approach by the EU towards its Eastern partners is the European Neighbourhood Instrument, which is the key EU financial instrument for cooperation with the EaP countries during the period of 2014-2020.
Cooperation then takes place both at bilateral (with individual partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and at regional level, depending on the nature of the action.
This is then supported through the relevant dialogues, both at bilateral level, such as the Association Council, as well as at multilateral level through thematic Platforms and Panels of the Eastern Partnership.
Eastern neighbours also participate in initiatives open to all Neighbourhood countries – such as Erasmus+, TAIEX, Twining, SIGMA and the Neighbourhood Investment Facility - and in Cross-Border Cooperation programmes.
Eastern Partnership structured consultation – post 2020:
After 10 years of close cooperation, the joint work of all partners is not finished. A broad and inclusive structured consultation process to reflect on the future strategic direction of the Eastern Partnership and a new – post 2020 – generation of deliverables is now open.
Please visit the official consultation page.
Find out more
20 Deliverables for 2020
20 Deliverables for 2020: State of play in 2018
EU-Armenia Relations
EU-Azerbaijan Relations
EU-Belarus Relations
EU-Georgia Relations
EU-Moldova Relations
EU-Ukraine Relations
Myths about the Eastern Partnership - Factsheet
EU strengthening businesses in Eastern partner countries
Key links
Eastern Partnership's Top 10 Achievements
EU Support to the Digital Economy in the Eastern Partnership
EU support to SMEs in Eastern Partnership countries
Factsheet: EU support to youth in Eastern Partnership countries
EEAS website - Eastern partnership
Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum
Milestones Eastern Partnership
2017
- 12 September - Annual Meeting of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP)
- 13 September - Eastern Partnership Media Conference in Kyiv
- 4 October - Eastern Partnership E-partnership Conference in Tallinn
- 25-27 October - Eastern Partnership Civil Society Conference in Tallinn
- 26-27 October - Eastern Partnership Business Forum in Tallinn
- 24 November - EaP Summit in Brussels
2016
- 1 January – DCFTA between Ukraine and EU becomes operational
2015
- 25 March - ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
- 21-22 May – EaP Summit in Riga
- 1 September – Beginning of the provisional application of DCFTA between EU and Georgia, some provisions of AA/DCFTA between EU and Moldova enter into force
- 18 November – European Commission presents a review of European Neighbourhood Policy(ENP)
2014
- 21 March - Ukraine signs political part of Association Agreement
- 27 March - ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
- 28 April – citizens of Moldova start travelling visa-free to Europe
- 27 June – Georgia and Moldova sign Association Agreements; Ukraine signs Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) provisions of Association Agreement
- The European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) comes into force with a budget of EUR15.4 billion for the period 2014-2020 replacing the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI)
2013
- 20 March - ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
- 29 November - Eastern Partnership (EaP) in Vilnius: Moldova and Georgia initial Association Agreements with EU; Ukraine (under then President Yanukovich) defers initialling, which results in mass protests leading to fall of government and early elections
- ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
- Council sets priorities of cooperation with South Caucasus
2011
- Eastern Partnership Summit in Warsaw
- Launch of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP)
- EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly launched
- ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
- Launch of renewed European Neighbourhood Policy
2010
- EU strengthens European Neighbourhood Policy with €5.7 billion for 2011-2013
2009
- Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum launched
- Eastern Partnership launched during Summit in Prague
- Southern Corridor Declaration adopted by the EU, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Egypt and Turkey
2008
- Commission Communication on Eastern Partnership
- Black Sea Synergy launched at ministerial meeting in Kyiv
2007
- ENPI launched
2006
- Commission communication on strengthening the ENP
2004
- Commission communication on European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP)
1991-2006