WIREDGOV

The Council yesterday approved conclusions on the Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020, reaffirming its strategic importance, and the joint commitment to building a common area of shared democracy, prosperity and stability.

Yesterday's Council conclusions follow up on the conclusions of the European Council of 20 June 2019, which marked the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership, and the joint communication: "Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020: Reinforcing Resilience – an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all" of 18 March 2020.

In its conclusions the Council welcomes the significant achievements of the Eastern Partnership to date, and reiterates its incentive- and conditionality-based approach as a means to encourage Eastern partner countries to continue engaging in reforms and increasing efforts in this regard. The Council confirms that the current policy framework, including the set of ’20 deliverables for 2020’ is valid and brings tangible results and benefits for people.

The Council also stresses the importance of the future Eastern Partnership being a more strategic, ambitious, flexible and inclusive framework for cooperation, allowing participants to tackle common and global challenges jointly in a wide range of areas, especially in the current unprecedented situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conclusions call firmly for a renewed commitment to the fundamentals of the Eastern Partnership. These include democracy, human rights, rule of law, good governance, and successful anti-corruption policies, but also economic reforms, environmental, climate and energy challenges, digital transformation and investing in people.

Finally, the Council looks forward to the next Eastern Partnership Summit, which is expected to review the results achieved since the last Summit in 2017, endorse long-term policy objectives, and set out the way forward in further strengthening and deepening cooperation, as well as give a mandate for preparatory work on the next generation of post 2020 deliverables.

• Council conclusions on Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020
• Joint Communication: "Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020: Reinforcing Resilience – an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all"
• European Council conclusions of 20 June 2019
• Eastern Partnership (Council policy page)
• EU’s support to the EaP countries in the fight against COVID-19
• Factsheet: Eastern Partnership beyond 2020
• Factsheet on EU-Armenia relations
• Factsheet on EU-Azerbaijan relations
• Factsheet on EU-Belarus relations
• Factsheet on EU-Georgia relations
• Factsheet on EU-Moldova relations
• Factsheet on EU Ukraine relations

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