MEPs assess ways to strengthen EU relations with Eastern Partnership countries
Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee adopt recommendations ahead of June summit, to determine the route ahead for relations with the EU’s Eastern European neighbours.
In the run-up to the next Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit in June, the Foreign Affairs Committee adopted, on Tuesday, a wide range of recommendations on the future of this joint policy initiative. In the text, MEPs advocate “a clear strategy and a long-term common vision” for the further development of the Eastern Partnership, strengthened EU commitments and political incentives to push the cooperation to a new level, as well as a pledge from the partner countries to continue to deliver reforms and seek ways to boost relations with the EU.
They call on all the EU institutions and the Eastern Partnership countries to work on political initiatives and processes to deepen EU-EaP economic integration, strengthening democratic institutions, good governance and the rule of law, fighting corruption, disinformation and political nepotism, stepping up cooperation, where possible, in the area of security and defence, promoting media freedom and improving transport, energy and digital connectivity between the EU and the EaP countries, and between the EaP countries themselves.
While underlining the need to ensure that the Eastern Partnership remains an inclusive project, the Foreign Affairs Committee also calls for an enhanced EU dialogue with those countries that have signed Association Agreements (AAs) with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine), to further advance these particular countries’ legislative harmonisation and economic integration with the EU.
Full report available soon
The full set of recommendations addressed to the European Commission, EU member states in the Council and EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, covering everything from state building and economic policy to security issues and civil society aspects, will be available here in due time.
The text was approved by 54 votes in favour, 12 against with 4 abstentions.
Quote
“With its recommendation on the Eastern Partnership, the European Parliament encourages the European Council and the European Commission to stimulate the EU’s Eastern Partnership policy by providing incentives and opening additional sectors for deeper cooperation with the willing and capable partner countries”, said rapporteur Petras Auštrevičius (Renew Europe, LT) after the vote.
Next steps
The report, prepared by the Foreign Affairs Committee, will now be submitted for approval by the European Parliament as a whole, at a later date.
The upcoming Eastern Partnership summit is expected to take place in Brussels in June. The EU’s six eastern neighbours taking part in the EaP are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
The Eastern Partnership initiative was launched on 7 May 2009.