Commission staff working document accompanying the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council : Eastern Partnership {COM(2008) 823 final}
Date: 2008-12-03
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Union for the Mediterranean, association agreement (EU), economic support, free-trade area, international cooperation

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 3.12.2008 
SEC(2008) 2974 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

accompanying the 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

Eastern Partnership 

{COM(2008) 823 final} 

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1. 

POTENTIAL SUBJECTS FOR THE WORK OF EASTERN PARTNERSHIP (EAP) THEMATIC 
PLATFORMS AND PANELS  

For  the  thematic  platform  on  Democracy,  good  governance  and  stability,  the  Commission 
proposes: 

Democracy and Human Rights 

•  Exchanges of best practices and dedicated workshops on such issues as electoral 
standards,  regulation  of  the  media,  the  fight  against  corruption,  transparent 
management of public goods and civil service reform.  

•  In cooperation with the Council of Europe, a facility for conducting peer reviews 
in  the  areas  covered  by  CoE  Conventions,  modelled  on  the  Commission’s 
cooperation with the OECD under SIGMA. 

•  Allocation of resources for the training and networking of local authorities, with a 
view  to  strengthening  administrative  capacities  and  promoting  local  government 
reform.  This  would  be  carried  out  in  cooperation  with  the  Committee  of  the 
Regions. 

Justice, Freedom and Security 

•  Support for partners’1 efforts to establish integrated border management systems, 
including  cooperation  on  border  control  and  border  demarcation  where 
appropriate.  

•  A multilateral dialogue on visa liberalisation and security standards, with visa-free 
travel and a common readmission area as a long-term goal. A first step could be to 
conduct an assessment of the current situation.  

•  Multilateral  cooperation  in  the  judicial  and  police  fields,  on  law  enforcement 
issues, combating organised crime and trafficking in human beings, co-ordinated 
national drugs strategies, and strengthening customs administrations. 

Security and Stability 

•  The pooling of information and resources to facilitate prevention of, preparedness 
for, and response  to natural  and man-made disasters, including a close link with 
the EU Civil Protection Mechanism2.  

•  Contacts  among  Civil  Society  Organisations  to  improve  their  capacity  for 

advocacy and promote confidence building in areas of protracted conflict.  

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2 

Eastern partners (or “partners”) for the purposes of this Staff Working Paper are the Eastern Europe and 
South  Caucasus  countries  addressed  by  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy:  Armenia,  Azerbaijan, 
Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. 
Administrative Agreements will be concluded to ensure that, over time, all partners can cooperate with 
the EC’s Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC). Among partners, this kind of agreement has so far 
only been concluded with Ukraine. 

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•  Cooperation  on  specific  CFSP  and  ESDP  issues,  including  the  participation  of 
partner countries in ESDP missions and exercises, and coordination of diplomatic 
activities.  A  mechanism  to  involve  partner countries in consultations concerning 
ESDP  operations  could  be  considered.  Security-related  early-warning  systems 
should be enhanced, with particular focus on conflict areas. Closer cooperation on 
arms export practices and non-proliferation could also be envisaged. 

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For  the  thematic  platform  on  Economic  integration  and  convergence  with  EU  policies,  the 
Commission proposes: 

Trade and Regulatory Approximation 

•  Thematic  workshops  to  assist  partners  in  their  efforts  concerning  trade-  and 
market-related  approximation  and  administrative  capacity  development  in  areas 
such as sanitary and phyto-sanitary rules, customs and trade facilitation, taxation 
(especially  good  governance  in  the  tax  area),  intellectual  and  industrial  property 
rights, public procurement, competition and services, including financial services;  

•  Support for the creation of a network of bilateral Deep and Comprehensive Free 
Trade Areas (DCFTA) among the partner countries based on the same principles 
and objectives as the DCFTAs between the EU and the partner countries. 

•  Networking and cooperation between partners’ regulatory authorities. 

•  Strengthening of traditional trading contacts to step up trade in goods and services 

among partners. 

•  Cooperation  on  enforcement  of  IP  protection, 

in  particular  as  regards 

counterfeited and pirated goods. 

•  Exploration  of  possibilities  for  partners  to  participate  in  a  system  of  diagonal 

cumulation of origin. 

•  Increased cooperation on customs and trade facilitation and border management to 
ensure a smooth flow of goods between the European Union and the partners (and 
beyond), enhance security and safety and combat customs fraud. 

•  Definition  of  a  roadmap  leading  to  accession  to  the  Common  transit  system 
(membership  in  Common  Transit  and  SAD  Conventions)  and  exploration  of 
possibilities to extend the current pilot project on exchanges of advance customs 
(transit)  information  with  Russia,  based  on  the  contents  of  the  TIR-Carnet,  to 
other partners.  

•  Consideration of drug precursor agreements in the region.  

•  Maritime  cross-sectoral  co-operation  among  services,  industries  and  scientific 
institutions, and cooperation and integration on the surveillance of the sea, with a 
view to safety and security of shipping and environmental protection. 

Socio-economic development 

•  Identification of key issues for effective enterprise policies and the promotion of a 

conducive business climate. 

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•  Development of comprehensive and coherent strategies for labour market policies, 
improvement of social dialogue, poverty reduction, decent work, social inclusion 
and protection, and equal opportunities.  

•  Multilateral  cooperation  on  health  topics  (sector  reform,  HIV/AIDS  and 
tuberculosis,  approximation  and  implementation  of  EU  practices).  Possible 
partnership  arrangements  between  partners’  authorities  and  the  Commission  and 
EU Member States to strengthen institutional capacity and enhance preparedness 
to tackle the cross-border spread of diseases.  

Environment and Climate Change 

•  Promotion  of  convergence  with  the  environment  acquis  and  strengthened 
implementation  of  multilateral  environment  agreements  (in  particular  the  Kyoto 
Protocol, CBD and UNECE conventions).  

•  Exchange  of  experience  and  best  practice  on  strategic  planning,  environmental 
governance,  progress  monitoring,  enforcement,  specific  environment  themes 
(such as air, water, waste management, integrated coastal zone management and 
biodiversity), and the financing of environment investments in a regional context. 

•  Involvement  of  partners  in  international  discussions  on  future  climate  action, 
promotion  of  regional  action  on  mitigation  and  adaptation  and  climate 
mainstreaming, and sharing of experience on emissions trading. 

•  Cooperation  on  collection,  monitoring  and  assessment  of  environment 

information, including with the European Environment Agency. 

•  Working  with  partners  to  assess  options  for  developing  a  flagship  project  on 

environment.  

General Issues 

•  Identification of partners’ interests regarding participation in or cooperation with 

Community agencies and programmes3. 

•  Establishment of a programme of secondment to Member States’ administrations 
and  to  the  Commission  of  civil  servants  from  partner  countries  responsible  for 
particular areas of EU approximation. 

3 

Communication of 4 December 2006, COM(2006) 724 final, and subsequent Council Conclusions. 

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For the thematic platform on Energy security, the Commission proposes4: 

Enhancing framework conditions and solidarity 

•  Development  and  implementation  of  mutual  energy  support  and  security 
mechanisms, including early warning mechanisms and joint security actions. One 
of  the  objectives  will  be  strengthening  of  energy  security  contacts  and 
enhancement of energy crisis preparedness by establishing an EaP energy security 
panel, bearing in mind the possibility of formalising the EaP countries' interaction, 
on  an  ad-hoc  basis,  with  the  EU’s  NESCO  (Network  of  Energy  Security 
Correspondents), Gas Coordination Group and the Oil Supply Group and bearing 
in mind the work being undertaken in other fora. 

Support for infrastructure development, interconnection and diversification of supply  

•  Development  of  an  Energy  Infrastructure  Action  Plan  taking  into  account  the 
Second  Strategic  Energy  review5,  the  TEN-E  Guidelines6  and  the  EU  Priority 
Interconnection  Plan7.  This  will  include  the  rehabilitation  of  existing  and  the 
development  of  new  energy  infrastructures  where  appropriate,  including  energy 
interconnections  between  partner  countries  and  with  the  EU.  Partners’  storage 
capacities  for  oil  and  gas  should  also  be  improved,  including  through  the 
encouragement of joint storage arrangements.  

•  Support  for  the  rehabilitation  the  Ukrainian  gas  transit  network  (for  example 
through 
similar 
infrastructure  in  Belarus  and  the  Republic  of  Moldova,  hereafter  referred  to  as 
Moldova.  

investment  conference)  and 

the  planned 

international 

•  Exploration,  together with non-EaP energy partners as  appropriate, the means to 
improve  conditions  for  long-term  supply  and  purchase  commitments,  transit 
guarantees, and infrastructure security that would create a level playing-field and 
be  attractive  to  third  country  suppliers  and  potential  infrastructure  investors.  As 
appropriate, this will take account of the provisions of existing instruments such 
as  the  Energy  Community  Treaty  and  the  Energy  Charter  Treaty,  as  well  as  the 
relevant provisions of forthcoming DCFTAs.  

•  The  development,  for  those  key  infrastructures  that  face  heightened  non-
commercial  risks,  public-private  partnerships,  bringing  together  the  EU  and 
partner  countries,  may  also  become  increasingly  important.  This  approach  could 
be  applied  to  the  rehabilitation  of  the  Ukrainian  gas  transit  network  and,  as 
appropriate, for the Belarus and Moldovan networks. It should also be considered 
as an instrument for better integrating the Southern Caucasus regional market.  

•  Enhancement of political and practical support for the realisation of the Southern 
energy corridor and development of similar measures in support of the extension 

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7 

A number of these proposals are addressed by the INOGATE Programme. 
An EU Energy Security and Solidarity Action Plan, COM (2008) 744/4 
Decision No 1364/2006/EC 
COM (2006) 846 final/2, 23.2.2007 

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of the Odessa-Brody oil pipeline to Plock and other projects emanating from the 
western shore of the Black Sea.  

•  Promotion of the development of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) facilities in Black 

Sea partner countries and in the EU itself. 

•  Mobilisation  of  additional  technical  assistance  and  loans  from  EIB  (and  other 
International  Financial  Institutions),  notably  through  the  NIF  (Neighbourhood 
Investment  Facility),  e.g.  to  increase  partners’  gas,  oil  and  oil  products  storage 
capacities,  hydrocarbon  processing  and  transportation  infrastructures,  and  to 
upgrade electricity interconnections.  

•  Support for the acceleration of Moldova’s and Ukraine’s accession to the UCTE 

(Union for the Co-ordination of the Transmission of Electricity) network. 

Harmonisation of energy policies 

•  Organisation  of  seminars,  workshops  and  training  sessions  on  the  EU  energy 
acquis  covering  a  wide  range  of  areas  (e.g.  internal  energy  market;  renewable 
energy; energy efficiency). 

•  Twinning  and  networking,  and  as  appropriate  the  establishment  of  associations, 
between  EU  and  EaP  energy  institutions  active  in  the  energy  field  (regulators, 
energy efficiency and renewable energy agencies). 

•  Development  of  an  energy  dialogue  with  participation  of  EU  and  partners’ 

industry. 

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For the thematic platform on Contacts between people, the Commission proposes: 

Culture 

•  To launch a specific EaP Culture Programme that will strengthen the capacity of 
cultural  operators  in  the  region  and  enhance  the  role  of  culture  as  a  force  for 
reform,  promotion  of  inter-communal  tolerance  and  social  cohesion.  This 
programme  will  be  complemented  by  opportunities  to  engage  in  transnational 
cultural cooperation in the whole ENP region through a dedicated window under 
the EC Culture Programme as of 2011.  

•  To  open  a  window  to  complement  the  Youth  in  Action  Programme  in  the  six 
partner countries. This would promote youth mobility and exchanges to enhance 
intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding. It would also support the role of 
youth NGOs and other actors to strengthen civil society in the partner countries. 

•  To support the Council of Europe’s Kyiv Initiative on cultural heritage.  

Education and Research 

•  To  significantly  increase  funding  for  the  Erasmus  Mundus  and  TEMPUS 
programmes,  thereby  increasing  student  and  academic  exchanges  and  promoting 
higher education reform.  

•  To  support  partners  working  towards  reforms  in  line  with  the  Bologna  Process 
and integration into the emerging European Research and Higher Education Area. 

•  To  encourage  partners  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities  for  teaching, 
research  and  conference  grants  in  the  field  of  European  integration  studies 
available through the Jean Monnet Programme. 

•  To  integrate  partners  more  actively  into  the  7th

  Framework  Programme  for 

Research and Development.  

Information Society and media 

•  To  foster  cooperation  among  the  partners’  regulatory  authorities  for  electronic 
communications  as  well  as  between  them  and  the  regulators  of  the  EU  Member 
States. 

•  To  promote  cooperation  between  the  partners'  and  the  EU  Member  States' 
authorities in charge of the development of the Information Society, including the 
widespread use of ICT by citizens, business and the public sector. 

•  To  favour  cooperation  and  circulation  audio-visual  goods  and  services  in 

compliance with Council of Europe and EU standards. 

•  To  explore  the  possibilities  for  creating  joint  media  projects  and  promoting 

contacts among media stakeholders of different partner countries.  

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2. 

INDICATIVE LIST OF EASTERN PARTNERSHIP POTENTIAL FLAGSHIP INITIATIVES  

Integrated Border Management Programme 

Building on EU experience of upgrading border management in the context of the 2004-2007 
enlargement  and  EU  Border  Assistance  Missions,  a  programme  for  introducing  integrated 
border management at the EaP countries’ non-EU borders could be developed. This is a pre-
condition for effectively tackling customs fraud, trafficking and illegal migration, and thus for 
progress  in  key  policy  areas  such  as  trade,  customs  and  visas.  Setting  up  integrated  border 
management structures aligned to EU standards is also an important prerequisite for progress 
on the mobility of persons. Assistance for border demarcation, where appropriate, could also 
be provided in the frame of this initiative. 

SME Facility  

SMEs have an enormous potential for generating growth and employment. Their development 
in partner countries is hampered by an inadequate legal framework and the lack of advisory 
services.  In  addition,  despite  significant  efforts  the  financial  sector  remains  behind  its 
potential  in  serving  the  needs  of  SMEs  and  their  development.  The  SME  facility  would 
support the needs of SMEs, and provide external stimulus to growth and employment through 
the  provision  of  technical  assistance  to  the  SMEs,  SME  support  networks  and  the  financial 
intermediaries and, if deemed suitable, also of risk capital and loans.  

The  facility  could  be  modelled  on  similar  instruments  that  have  been  developed  for  other 
transition  countries,  and  be  supported  through  existing  instruments  such  as  the  NIF. 
Administrative  arrangements  would  be  simplified  through  a  single  facility  which  would  tap 
into the expertise and capacities of the International Financial Institutions’ active in the region 
through their involvement in its establishment and operation. In all cases the development of 
the facility will build upon existing structures and operations in the area of SME support. 

Regional electricity markets, improved energy efficiency and increased use of renewable 
energy sources 

An  integrated  and  interconnected  regional  electricity  market  in  and  with  EaP  countries  will 
bring greater energy security for the partners and the EU. In addition, both the partners and 
the EU have a substantial potential to increase efficiency of energy production, transmission 
and use (in the area of buildings, transport and industry). There are also great opportunities for 
enhancing  the  use  of  indigenous  renewable  energy  sources.  However,  an  appropriate 
regulatory  framework  and  financing  mechanisms  need  to  be  developed  to  realise  these 
opportunities. Work under this initiative will take into account the existing acquis in this area 
and will include support provided through programmes such as the Intelligent Energy Europe 
and INOGATE. 

Focusing on these issues will enhance the security of electricity supply, bring environmental 
benefits  and  decrease  the  need  for  energy  imports,  thus  improving  energy  security  and 
reducing the import bill. 

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Southern energy corridor  

The EU and its partners share an interest in enhancing energy security by diversifying energy 
transport  routes  and  energy  sources.  The  development  of  the  strategic  Southern  energy 
corridor is one response to this quest for diversification and has been identified as one of the 
EU’s most important energy security priorities. The participants of the “Baku initiative” for 
EU-Black  Sea/Caspian  energy  cooperation  have  advanced  work  on  this  corridor,  inter  alia 
with  support  provided  under  the  INOGATE  programme.  Further  action  is  necessary  to 
strengthen  the  “Baku  initiative”  into  a  genuine  energy  partnership  and  to  work  with  the 
countries concerned, including third countries (e.g. Turkey, Caspian littoral states), with the 
objective of rapidly securing firm commitments for the supply of gas and the construction of 
the necessary energy infrastructure. 

Prevention of, preparedness for, and response to natural and man-made disasters  

Recent years have seen a significant increase in natural and man-made disasters, in particular 
floods,  fires,  health  risks  (epidemic,  pandemic),  maritime  pollution  —  resulting  in  loss  of 
lives,  destruction  of  economic  and  social  infrastructure  and  cultural  heritage,  and 
displacement of people. Disasters can in a matter of days have dramatic negative effects on 
economic  growth  potential  as  well  as  on  the  environment.  Climate  change  is  further 
aggravating this negative trend. This initiative will aim to prevent, prepare for and respond to 
disasters  affecting  the  partner  countries  and  the  EU,  in  view  of  the  joint  commitment  to 
greater  cooperation  on  disaster  management.  The  co-operation  will  contribute  to  social  and 
political stability in the region and as support countries’ efforts to adapt to climate change.  

The objective is to strengthen disaster management capacities at local, regional and national 
level, by establishing effective cooperation between the EU (the Community Civil Protection 
Mechanism)  and  the  partner  countries  —  and  also  among  the  partner  countries  themselves. 
National  civil  protection  authorities  are  the  main  players.  However,  enhanced  co-operation 
with  other  stakeholders  is  also  essential,  including  civil  society  organisations,  international 
and donor organisations, and key local and national players. A short to medium term objective 
is to negotiate and conclude agreements on a formal co-operation framework. 

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3. 

INTERFACE  OF  THE  EASTERN  PARTNERSHIP  MULTILATERAL  FRAMEWORK  WITH 
OTHER REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES 

The  Black  Sea  Synergy  is  a  regional  cooperation  initiative  covering  five  Eastern  ENP 
countries as well as the Russian Federation and Turkey. There is substantial complementarity 
between the EaP and the Black Sea Synergy and other regional and international initiatives. 
At its core the Black Sea Synergy is a sea-basin cooperation aimed at solving problems which 
require  region-wide  efforts.  As  described  above,  the  EaP  will  build  on  the  declared  will  of 
partner  countries  to  pursue  alignment  with  the  European  Union  and/or  their  aspiration  for 
European integration, rather than on the regional aspect.  

The  Eastern  Partnership  should  also  draw  on  other  regional  and  multilateral  cooperation 
initiatives.  In  particular,  it  will  take  due  regard  of  achievements  of  the  Central  European 
Initiative.  The  Organisation  for  Democracy  and  Economic  Development  has  lately  put 
forward  several  initiatives,  notably  in  the  fields  of  trade,  transport  and  energy,  which  have 
repercussions  for  the  EaP  multilateral  framework.  The  EaP  will  also  promote  strengthened 
implementation of multilateral environment agreements.  

Sectoral  programmes  of  the  European  Union,  such  as  the  TRACECA  (transport)  and 
INOGATE (energy) that support the Baku Initiative, involve both ENP participants and other 
partners.  They  implement  projects  which  bring  the  EU  and  Eastern  Europe  closer  and  deal 
with relevant aspects of regulatory approximation and energy security. Therefore a strong link 
should be established between these programmes and the EaP thematic platforms.  

The  Eastern  Partnership  will  also  help  to  develop  connections  between  its  participants  and 
cooperation frameworks for South-Eastern Europe, notably in the fields of transport, energy, 
environment and fight against trans-border crime.  

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4. 

FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES 

Effective delivery of financial assistance 

With increased volumes of assistance and recourse to such tools as twinning and TAIEX, that 
are  adapted  to  institution-building  needs,  implementation  modalities  will  need  some 
adjustment.  In  general,  operational  costs  of  public  administrations  will  not  be  supported. 
Partner  countries  will  be  encouraged  to  systematically  co-finance  investments  and  to  take 
more  direct  responsibility  for  the  implementation  of  the  assistance  on  their  territory, 
especially  through  the  further  decentralisation  of  payment  and  contracting  functions.  The 
introduction  of  decentralised  implementation  is  a  lengthy  process  that  will  need  to  be 
carefully prepared and introduced. Any decision in this regard will be preceded by an audit of 
the recipient's financial control mechanisms.  

Improved donor coordination 

Coordination  of  EC  and  Member  States’  assistance  to  the  six  partner  countries  should  be 
strengthened  in  accordance  with  the  Paris  declaration.  The  Commission  intends  to  use  the 
upcoming  Mid-Term  review  of  ENPI  programming  documents  to  boost  joint  programming 
with  interested  Member  States  and  enhance  co-ordination  with  all  donors.  EU  embassies, 
Member  States’  development  offices  in  the  field  and  the  EC  delegations  in  each  of  the  six 
capitals  should  improve  the  exchange  of  information  in  all  sectors  of  assistance.  These 
measures  will  enable  EU  Member  States  to  channel  funds  for  the  Eastern  Partnership 
priorities and projects. 

Leveraging more investment funding  

Investment needs in EaP partner countries are huge. Substantial progress in implementing the 
governance  and  reform  agenda  will  make  partner  countries  more  attractive  for  foreign 
investors  and,  as  a  result,  increase  FDI  flows.  It  is  important  for  EIB,  EBRD  and  other 
International  Financial  Institutions  to  step  up  their  efforts  to  identify  suitable  investment 
projects in partner countries and assist their reform and modernisation efforts.  

EIB and EBRD have identified a promising list of potential operations in Eastern Europe. The 
EIB lending mandate for Eastern Europe in 2007-13 has a sub-ceiling of €3.7 billion and this 
could  be  reached  well  before  2013.  For  this  reason,  in  the  framework  of  the  Mid-Term 
Review  of  external  assistance  instruments,  the  Commission  will  consider  the  possibility  of 
widening the scope and raising the relevant sub-(EIB) ceiling of the EIB’s lending mandates 
from 2011. 

Technical  assistance  and  the  blending  of  grants  and  loans  will  facilitate  financing  projects, 
especially  in  partner  countries  (e.g.  Moldova)  that  have  macro-economic  constraints  to 
excessively extend their foreign debt. In its first few months of operations the Neighbourhood 
Investment  Facility  has  already  approved  six  projects  concerning  Eastern  neighbours.  Grant 
funding of €14.8 million from the NIF has leverage d loan financing from European finance 
institutions worth €677 million. The NIF is opera ting on the basis of contributions from the 
Community budget (€250 million planned for 2007- 10) and EU Member States (€32 million 
pledged as of November 2008). The Commission calls on Member States to further contribute 
to the Facility so as to match the Community financial effort. This will allow the facility to 
further expand its operations.  

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