EaP

Ten years of Eastern Partnership

On 13-14 May, the European Union, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine marked the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership with a number of events in Brussels. They provided the opportunity to celebrate a partnership that has proven to be mutually beneficial and has been delivering concrete results for citizens.

To mark the 10th Anniversary of Eastern Partnership, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, hosted a series of high-level gatherings in Brussels with the participation of the six Eastern partner countries, EU member states and stakeholders.

On Monday 13 May, High Representative, Federica Mogherini, chaired the annual Eastern Partnership Foreign Affairs Ministerial Meeting with the 28 EU member states, the EU’s six Eastern partners and key stakeholders, and the Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn. 

The meeting took stock of the progress made under the ambitious 20 Deliverables for 2020 work plan. This common agenda was adopted at the last Eastern Partnership Summit of November 2017 and aims to bring tangible benefits to the lives of citizens across the region through working towards stronger economies, stronger governance, stronger connectivity and stronger societies.

In the evening of 13 May, President Tusk hosted a celebratory dinner for the six heads of state or government of the EaP partner countries. President Juncker, High Representative Mogherini and Commissioner Hahn, as well as Radosław Sikorski and Carl Bildt, former Foreign Ministers of Poland and Sweden respectively and initiators of the Eastern Partnership framework back in 2008, also attended.

On Tuesday 14 May, President Juncker hosted a High-level Conference in the European Commission’s Charlemagne building. This conference brought together Heads of State or Government of the partner countries, Foreign Ministers of the European Union member states, civil society representatives, business leaders, young people and journalists from across the 34 countries High Representative Federica Mogherini, Commissioner Hahn and the Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström, also participated. The event was an opportunity to discuss the developments of the partnership during this first decade and exchange on its future among a wide audience of key stakeholders active in the region or directly involved in this policy framework.

Source: European Council, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/05/10/celebrating-10-years-of-the-eastern-partnership/ 

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