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 European Union Non-EU members of the Eastern Partnership Suspended members | |
| Formation | 7 May 2009; 16 years ago (2009-05-07) |
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| Founded at | Prague |
| Type | European External Action Service initiative |
| Headquarters | Brussels, Belgium |
| Location | |
| Membership |
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| Website | Website |
TheEastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative of theEuropean Union, together with its member states, and sixEastern European countries. The EaP framework governs the EU's relationship with thepost-Soviet states ofArmenia,Azerbaijan,Belarus,Georgia,Moldova, andUkraine.[1] The EaP is intended to provide a forum for discussions regarding trade, economic strategy, travel agreements, and other issues between the EU and its Eastern European neighbours. It also aims at building a common area of shared values of democracy, prosperity, stability, and increased cooperation.[1] The project was initiated by Poland and a subsequent proposal was prepared in co-operation with Sweden.[2] It was presented by the foreign ministers ofPoland andSweden at the EU'sGeneral Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 26 May 2008.[3] The Eastern Partnership was inaugurated by the EU inPrague, Czech Republic on 7 May 2009.[4]
The first meeting of foreign ministers in the framework of the Eastern Partnership was held on 8 December 2009 in Brussels.[5]
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) was established as a specific Eastern dimension of theEuropean Neighbourhood Policy, which contains both a bilateral and multilateral track.[6] The Eastern Partnership complements theNorthern Dimension and theUnion for the Mediterranean by providing an institutionalised forum for discussingvisa agreements,free trade deals, and strategic partnership agreements with the EU's eastern neighbours, while avoiding the controversial topic ofaccession to the European Union. Its geographical scope consists ofArmenia,Azerbaijan,Belarus,Georgia,Moldova, andUkraine.[7] Unlike the Union for the Mediterranean, the Eastern Partnership does not have its own secretariat, but is controlled directly by theEuropean Commission.[8]
In May 2008, Poland and Sweden put forward a joint proposal for an Eastern Partnership with Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, with Russia and Belarus participating in some aspects. Eventually, Belarus joined the initiative as a full member, while Russia does not participate at all. The Polish foreign ministerRadosław Sikorski said "We all know the EU has enlargement fatigue. We have to use this time to prepare as much as possible so that when the fatigue passes, membership becomes something natural"[9] It was discussed at theEuropean Council on 19 and 20 June 2008, along with the Union for the Mediterranean.[10] TheCzech Republic endorsed the proposal completely, whileBulgaria andRomania were cautious, fearing that theBlack Sea Forum for Partnership and Dialogue and theOrganization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation could be undermined. Meanwhile, Germany, France, and others were not happy with the possibility that the Eastern Partnership could be seen as a stepping stone to membership (especially forUkraine), while Poland and other Eastern states have explicitly welcomed this effect.[11]
The Eastern Partnership was officially launched in May 2009 when theCzech Republic invited the leaders of the six members of the initiative. Meanwhile, Germany attended the summit to signal their alarm at the economic situation in the East. Russia accused the EU of trying to carve out a newsphere of influence, which the EU denied, stating that they were "responding to the demands of these countries...and the economic reality is that most of their trade is done with the EU".[12]
The Eastern Partnership consists of the following 27EU member states and six Eastern Europeanpost-Soviet states:
In addition, the above members, except Belarus, further participate in theCouncil of Europe and theEuronest Parliamentary Assembly in which these states forge closer political and economic ties with the European Union.
The participation of Belarus in the Eastern Partnership and their President Lukashenko, who has been described as authoritarian, at a summit in 2009 was the subject of debate.[13] On 30 September 2011 Belarus seemingly withdrew from the initiative because of: "unprecedented discrimination" and a "substitution" of the principles on which it was built two years ago.[14] However three days later Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov refuted this.[15]
On 28 June 2021, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Belarus would suspend its membership in the Eastern Partnership.[16]
The Eastern Partnership is a forum aiming to improve the political and economic trade-relations of the sixPost-Soviet states of "strategic importance" –Armenia,Azerbaijan,Belarus,Georgia,Moldova,Ukraine with theEuropean Union.[13] Promotion of human rights andrule of law informer Soviet states has been reported to form the "core" of the policy of the Eastern Partnership.[17] The EU draft of the EaP states that: "Shared values including democracy, therule of law, and respect for human rights will be at its core, as well as the principles ofmarket economy,sustainable development andgood governance." The Partnership is to provide the foundation for new Association Agreements between the EU and those partners who have made sufficient progress towards the principles and values mentioned. Apart from values, the declaration says the region is of "strategic importance" and the EU has an "interest in developing an increasingly close relationship with its Eastern partners..."[18]
The inclusion ofBelarus prompts the question whether values or geopolitics are paramount in the initiative. EU diplomats agree that the country's authoritarian president,Alexander Lukashenko, has done little to merit involvement in the policy at this stage. But the EU fears Russia will strengthen its grip onMinsk if it is left out.[19] There are plans to model the concept on theStabilisation and Association Process used by the EU in theBalkans, including a possiblefree trade area encompassing the countries in the region, similar toBAFTA orCEFTA. A future membership perspective is not ruled out, either.[20]
The key focus of the EU engagement within the Eastern Partnership includes the achievement of tangible results for the citizens in the partner countries. The pursuit of tangible outcomes has resulted in 20 deliverables of Eastern Partnership cooperation for 2020.[1] They were developed in close consultation with the stakeholders, and include the following:
A joint working document "Eastern Partnership – focusing on key priorities and deliverables" drafted by the Commission and EEAS details the objectives across the five priority areas of cooperation agreed at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga in 2015:[21]
The EC earmarked €600 million for the six partner countries for the period 2010–13 as part of theEuropean Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, constituting about a quarter of the total funding available to the Eastern Partnership countries in that period. The programme had three main purposes: Comprehensive Institution Building programmes, aimed at supporting reforms (approximately €175 million); Pilot regional development programmes, aimed at addressing regional economic and social disparities (approximately €75 million); and Implementation of the Eastern Partnership, 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 (approximately €350 million).[22]
In December 2010, theEuropean Investment Bank established the ″Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund″ (EPTATF).[23] It includes the ″Eastern Partnership Internship Programme″ which is open to students who are nationals of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, or Ukraine.[24]
In 2021, a new aid package was given to the EU's six Eastern Partnership countries, where Ukraine received €1.9 billion, Azerbaijan €140 million, and Armenia €2.6 billion. In particular, the aid package to Armenia was 62 percent more than previously promised.[25]
Established in 2011 as a component of the Eastern Partnership, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly is the inter-parliamentary forum in which members of theEuropean Parliament and the Eastern Partnership participate and forge closer political and economic ties with the EU. The Assembly gathers once a year, meeting locations alternate between an Eastern Partnership country and one of the European Parliament places of work (Brussels, Luxembourg or Strasbourg).
In December 2019, following the eighth Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, a resolution was passed by all members outlining various EU integration goals to be achieved by 2030. The resolution affirms that the process of EU enlargement is open to Eastern Partnership member states and that future enlargement of the EU will be mutually beneficial for both the EU and Eastern Partnership members.[26]
In June 2020, European lawmakers called for the creation of a common economic space between the EU and the six members of the Eastern Partnership, as part of a process of gradual integration into the EU. The European Parliament passed the motion which was supported by 507MEPs, with 119 voting against and 37 abstaining. The motion also confirmed that the Eastern Partnership policy can facilitate a process of gradual integration into the EU.[27]
Ukraine is one of six post-Soviet nations to be invited to co-operate with the EU within the new multilateral framework that the Eastern partnership is expected to establish. However, Kyiv pointed out that it remains pessimistic about the "added value" of this initiative. Indeed, Ukraine and the EU have already started the negotiations on new, enhanced political and free-trade agreements (Association and Free-Trade Agreements). Also, there has been some progress in liberalising the visa regime despite persistent problems in the EU Member States' visa approach towards Ukrainians.[citation needed]
That is why Ukraine has a specific view of the Eastern Partnership Project. According to the Ukrainian presidency, it should correspond, in case of his country, to the strategic foreign policy objective, i.e. the integration with the EU.[28][29] Yet, the Eastern Partnership documents (the European Council Declaration of May 2009)[30] do not confirm such priorities as political and economic integration or lifting visas.
Ukraine has expressed enthusiasm about the project. Ukraine deputy premierHryhoriy Nemyria said that the project is the way to modernise the country and that they welcome the Eastern Partnership policy, because it uses 'de facto' the same instruments as forEU candidates.[31]
Under the Eastern Partnership, Poland and Ukraine have reached a new agreement replacing visas with simplified permits for Ukrainians residing within 30 km of the border. Up to 1.5 million people may benefit from this agreement which took effect on 1 July 2009.[32]
Russia has expressed strong concerns over the Eastern Partnership,[33] seeing it as an attempt to expand theEuropean Union's "sphere of influence". Russia has also expressed concerns that the EU is putting undue pressure onBelarus[34] by suggesting it might be marginalised if it follows Russia inrecognising the independence of theGeorgian breakaway regions ofAbkhazia andSouth Ossetia. "Is this promoting democracy or is it blackmail? It's about pulling countries from the positions they want to take as sovereign states",Russian foreign ministerSergei Lavrov has stated.
Sweden, the co-author of the Eastern Partnership project together withPoland, rejected Mr Lavrov's position as "completely unacceptable". "The Eastern Partnership is not aboutspheres of influence. The difference is that these countries themselves opted to join",Swedish foreign ministerCarl Bildt said at the Brussels Forum. The EU's position on Georgia is not 'blackmail' but "is about upholding the principles of the EU andinternational law, which Russia should also be respecting", he added.[31]
In November 2009, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed the Eastern Partnership as useless: "Frankly speaking, I don't see any special use (in the program) and all the participants of this partnership are confirming this to me". However a few days later Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia does not rule out joining the EU's Eastern Partnership programme.[35] Russia maintained its opposition towards the EPP. For instance, after the Warsaw Summit 2011 of the EPP, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stated that due to the economic crisis in the EU, Ukraine would probably not join the EU. Instead of joining the EU, Putin offered a Russia – Ukraine relationship which he said would provide a more competitive and productive economic process.[36]
In May 2015,President of the European CouncilDonald Tusk stated that Russia was "[compensating for] its shortcomings by destructive, aggressive and bullying tactics against its neighbours" while German ChancellorAngela Merkel said that "the EU makes a crystal clear difference with Russia. We accept that the different Eastern Partnership nations can go their own way and we accept these different ways."[37] Finnish Prime MinisterAlexander Stubb stated that "It is the prerogative and right of every independent and sovereign state to choose which club it wants to belong to."[38]
Founded during the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit in 2009, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) is an integral part of the Eastern Partnership program and creates a significant and institutional platform for civil society organisations to monitor and discuss the developments regarding democracy building and human rights development in the six partnership countries.[39] The EaP CSF consists of six national platforms and five thematic working groups, which are represented by an annually elected Steering Committee composed of 13 members. The Secretariat of the EaP CSF is based in Brussels. The EaP CSF meets annually to discuss the latest developments and to set their working programme. The first meeting took place in Brussels in 2009. The last EaP CSF Civil Society Summit meeting – which continued the tradition of its preceding 16 Annual Assemblies - took place inVienna in November 2024. During the meeting, 90 civil society organizations from the EaP countries and the EU adopted a resolution detailing key recommendations on the future of the EaP region and policy.[40]
The EaP CSF aims to support the effective participation ofcivil society from EaP and EU countries in the process of planning, monitoring and implementing the Eastern Partnership policy. It maintains a dialogue with EU and EaP decision makers to democratically transform the EaP countries and guarantee their integration into the EU.
In 2011, the EaP CSF launched the Eastern Partnership Index, a data-driven monitoring tool used to inform policy-making.[41] It tracks, on a biennial scale, the reform journey of the six Eastern Partnership countries towards sustainable democratic development and European integration.
The EaP CSF has actively advocated for greater political and financial support to civil society in the Eastern partnership, in light of their role in supporting democratization and rule of law reforms. It has also actively campaigned for an EU response to the human rights situation in Azerbaijan and Belarus.[42] It also monitors the progress on the Moldovan, Ukrainian and Georgian candidacies to the EU.
As of January 2025, the EaP CSF counts over 1,200 member organizations and remains an official interlocutor of EU institutions and EaP partner countries in the EaP architecture. A similar set up is unique for the EaP region, given that no similar platform exists for theWestern Balkans or the Southern Neighbourhood. The EaP CSF provides a framework for transmittingEuropean values and norms. As a result, some scholars have attributed a socialization function to the Forum, whereby norms sponsored by the European Union are internalized by participating civil society organizations.
Although the Eastern Partnership was inaugurated on 7 May 2009, academic research critically analysing the policy became available by early 2010 with the findings from a UK research project, funded by theEconomic and Social Research Council, examining the EU's relations with three Eastern Partnership member states,Belarus,Ukraine, andMoldova notes both conceptual and empirical dilemmas.[50] First, conceptually the EU has limited uniform awareness of what it is trying to promote in its eastern neighbourhood under the aegis of 'shared values', 'collective norms' and 'joint ownership'. Secondly, empirically, the EU seems to favour a 'top-down' governance approach (based on rule/norm transfer and conditionality) in its relations with outsiders, which is clearly at odds with a voluntary idea of 'partnership', and explicitly limits the input of 'the other' in the process of reform.[51]
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