What is it?
This ambitious workplan was endorsed at the Eastern Partnership 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. This monitiong exercise was carried out again in Spring 2020.
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.