JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Eastern Partnership: A Roadmap to the autumn 2013 Summit
Date: 2012-05-15
Institutions: European Commission, High Representative of the Union
Subjects: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, European neighbourhood policy, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, association agreement (EU), cooperation agreement (EU)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION FOR 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND 
SECURITY POLICY

Brussels, 15.5.2012  
JOIN(2012) 13 final 

JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, 
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE 
COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Eastern Partnership:  
A Roadmap to the autumn 2013 Summit  

{SWD(2012) 108 final} 
{SWD(2012) 109 final} 

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JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, 
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE 
COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Eastern Partnership:  
A Roadmap to the autumn 2013 Summit  

INTRODUCTION 

Cooperation between the EU and its Eastern European partners - the Republic of Armenia, the 
Republic  of  Azerbaijan,  the  Republic  of  Belarus,  Georgia,  the  Republic  of  Moldova  and 
Ukraine – is a crucial part of the Union's external relations. The closer partner countries move 
towards  the  EU  the  greater  the  opportunity  for  increasing  political,  economic  and  cultural 
links both with the Union and among the countries themselves.  

The purpose of this Communication is to present an Eastern Partnership Roadmap as agreed 
at the Eastern Partnership Summit held in Warsaw on 29-30 September 20111. The Roadmap 
is intended to guide work in view of the next Summit due to take place in autumn 2013.2 It 
covers both the bilateral and multilateral dimensions of the Eastern Partnership, and is guided 
by the principles of joint ownership, differentiation and conditionality.  

1. 

THE POLICY CONTEXT  

1.1. The Eastern Partnership: a partnership of equals sharing common values 

The Eastern Partnership was launched in 2009 at a summit held in Prague3, in an effort by the 
EU  and  its  Eastern  European  partners  to  help  promote  political  and  economic  reforms  and 
assist the countries of the region move closer to the EU. At its basis lies a shared commitment 
to international law and fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law and respect 
for  human  rights  and  fundamental  freedoms,  as  well  as  to  market  economy,  sustainable 
development and good governance. 

Though  each  country  has  an  individual  relationship  with  the  EU,  under  the  Eastern 
Partnership  umbrella,  the  EU  and  its  partners  have  committed  to  further  developing  a 
multilateral  dimension  -  involving  all  EU  Member  States  and  partner  countries.  This 
multilateral  dimension  is  intended  to  strengthen  and  complement  the  bilateral  track,  and 
facilitate the development of common positions and joint activities. 

The  second  Eastern  Partnership  Summit  held  in  Warsaw  in  September  2011  reaffirmed  the 
agenda  agreed  in  Prague  and  acknowledged  that  important  progress  had  been  made  in  a 
number  of  areas.  However,  the  Summit  participants  also  recognised  that  the  reform  efforts 

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2 

3 

Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit, Warsaw, 29-30 September 2011 
The  Roadmap  does  not  prejudice  the  individual  aspirations  or  European  integration  agendas  of  any 
Eastern European partner country. The content has benefitted from consultations with the EU Member 
States, and the Eastern European partner countries, as well as civil society representatives. 
Joint Declaration of the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit, Prague, 7 May 2009 

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needed to be reinforced, that the pace of reforms would determine the intensity of cooperation 
and that partners most engaged in reforms would benefit most from their relationship with the 
European Union. They also called for a renewed commitment to the shared values.  

It  is  essential  to  make  changes  on  the  ground,  to  build  sustainable  democratic  institutions, 
resolve  peacefully  protracted  conflicts  and  to  create  a  solid  foundation  for  sustainable  and 
inclusive  economic  growth  and  job  creation.  Progress  towards  deep  and  sustainable 
democracy  is  crucial  in  terms  of  future  relations  between  the  EU  and  its  Eastern  European 
partners.  

Particular  emphasis  was  put  on  the  need  for  engagement  with  societies  as  a  whole.  Civil 
society is a fundamental element in a well-functioning democratic system. EU support for and 
engagement with civil society in Eastern European countries is therefore being significantly 
strengthened.  

These aspects are therefore emphasised in the proposed Roadmap.  

1.2. 

Objectives 

The  main  goal  of  the  Eastern  Partnership  is  to  create  the  conditions  to  accelerate  political 
association  and  deepen  economic  integration  between  the  EU  and  the  Eastern  European 
partner  countries.  The  Eastern  Partnership  Summit  in  Warsaw  acknowledged  the  European 
aspirations and the European choice of some partners and their commitment to build deep and 
sustainable democracy. It highlighted the particular role for the Eastern Partnership to support 
those who seek an ever closer relationship with the EU.4 The Eastern Partnership also aims to 
promote regional co-operation and good neighbourly relations. These aims support the shared 
commitment to stability, security and prosperity of both the EU and the partner countries. In 
support of these over-arching goals, the EU and its Eastern European partners will: 

• 

• 

• 

Forge new, deeper contractual relations between the EU and partner countries 
in  the  form  of  Association  Agreements,  including,  where  appropriate,  Deep  and 
Comprehensive  Free  Trade  Areas  (DCFTAs)  where  regulatory  approximation  can 
serve to strengthen the positive effects of trade and investment liberalisation, leading 
to convergence with EU laws and standards.  

Support  the  mobility  of  citizens  and  visa  liberalisation  in  a  well  managed  and 
secure  environment.  The  mobility  of  citizens  of  the  partner  countries  will  be 
promoted  through  visa  facilitation  and  readmission  agreements  as  a  first  step  with 
visa-free regime as a final goal. 

Enhance  sector  cooperation  and  facilitate  the  participation  of  partner  countries  in 
EU programmes and agencies.  

The Eastern Partnership addresses the issue of unfinished transformation. It helps partners to 
accomplish their transition towards democracy and a market-oriented economy by supporting 
their reform process. 

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Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit, Warsaw, 29-30 September 2011 

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2. 

IMPLEMENTING THE NEW APPROACH 

The  Roadmap  aims  to  translate  the  “more  for  more”  principle  of  the  renewed  European 
Neighbourhood  Policy  into  practice.  The  more  a  partner  country  makes  progress,  the  more 
support  it  will  receive  from  the  EU.  This  will  include  increased  funding  for  social  and 
economic  development,  larger  programmes  for  comprehensive  institution  building,  greater 
access  for  partner  countries  to  the  EU  internal  market,  increased  EU  financing  towards 
investments, including EIB loans as well as EU budget grants blended with loans from EIB 
and  other  IFIs  and  enhanced  policy  dialogue.  Progress  on  reforms  will  be  assessed  in  the 
annual ENP country reports. 

Progress  towards  reforms  will  be  assessed  according  to  specific  criteria  which  reflect  the 
commitments already undertaken through the existing agreements between the EU and partner 
countries  including  those  in  ENP  Action  Plans/Association  Agendas.  The  EU  will  take  a 
holistic view of its relations with partners, including efforts to tackle instability and conflict in 
the region. 

The  Roadmap  will  be  accompanied  by  additional  funding  under  the  “more  for  more” 
principle. A new programme called EaPIC (Eastern Partnership Integration and Cooperation) 
is  being  set  up,  with  an  indicative  allocation  of  130  million  EUR  for  2012-13.  This  is  in 
addition to the 2010-13  EU commitment to the Eastern  European partners worth 1.9  billion 
EUR. The budget allocation for the participation of the Eastern European partners in higher 
education  cooperation  programmes  (Erasmus  Mundus  and  Tempus)  will  be  doubled  for 
Erasmus and substantially increased for Tempus. EaPIC will focus on promoting democratic 
transformation  and  institution  building  and  sustainable  and  inclusive  growth  and  increased 
confidence building measures.  

3. 

THE  ROADMAP:  A  DYNAMIC  TOOL  TO  MONITOR  THE  JOINT 
COMMITMENT TO REFORM AND PROGRESS  

The Eastern Partnership Roadmap, together with the two tables in the attached documents will 
allow both the EU and the Eastern European partner  countries  to  guide  and  monitor  reform 
and progress. 

The Roadmap itself sets out:  

•  the  objectives  jointly  agreed  by  the  EU  and  its  Eastern  European  partners  under  the 
Eastern  Partnership  framework  arising  from  the  2009  Prague  and  2011  Warsaw  Summit 
Declarations; 

•  the reforms and progress that the partner countries would aim at to meet the objectives of 
the  jointly  agreed  steps  contained  in  the  relevant  Association  Agendas  and  ENP  Action 
Plans;  

•  the  various  instruments  and  support  that  the  EU  will  provide  through  EU  financial 

cooperation and policy dialogue;  

•  an indication of how far the EU and the partner countries expect to have come in achieving 
the objectives by the end of the second half of 2013, through the identification of targets, 
outputs or timelines. 

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4. 

THE BILATERAL SECTION OF THE ROADMAP  

The Roadmap’s bilateral table focuses on the following main jointly agreed objectives:  

– 

– 

– 

political association and economic integration  

enhanced mobility of citizens in a secure and well managed environment  

strengthened sector cooperation.  

For each of these three objectives, the bilateral section of the Roadmap table aims to identify 
the  kinds  of  policy  measures  the  partner  countries  would  need  to  take,  based  on  existing 
jointly agreed documents such as Association Agendas and ENP Action Plans as well as the 
support the EU can provide.  

•  Objective 1: Political association and economic integration  

Implementation of common values 

The  bilateral  section  enumerates  the  key  criteria  for  assessing  the  implementation  of  the 
common  values.  It  sets  out,  on  the  one  hand,  the  main  actions  by  partner  countries  as 
identified in jointly agreed documents, such as Association Agendas and, on the other hand, 
the support offered by the EU. 

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

Negotiations  with  Ukraine  on  an  Association  Agreement, 
including  a  Deep  and 
Comprehensive Free Trade Area, have been finalised, and the agreed text was initialled on 30 
March 2012. Negotiations of Association Agreements have been launched with the Republic 
of Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and are advancing well, while the decision to 
launch  negotiations  on  DCFTAs5,  as  an  integral  part  of  the  Association  Agreements,  with 
Georgia and Moldova was taken in December 2011 and with Armenia in February 2012. 

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

Following  the  finalisation  of  the  negotiations  on  the  EU-Ukraine  Association  Agreement  at 
the  Summit  in  December  2011,  both  sides  reached  a  common  understanding  that  Ukraine’s 
performance, notably in relation to respect for common values and the rule of law, will be of 
crucial importance for the speed of its political association and economic integration with the 
EU,  including  in  the  context  of  the  conclusion  of  the  Association  Agreement  and  its 
subsequent implementation. 

By  the  autumn  of  2013,  negotiations  on  Association  Agreements  with  the  Republic  of 
Moldova,  Georgia,  Armenia  and  Azerbaijan  should  be  well  advanced,  if  not  finalised. 
DCFTA  negotiations  with  Armenia,  Georgia  and  the  Republic  of  Moldova  should  be  well 
advanced,  if  not  finalised,  and  substantial  progress  should  have  been  made  in  the  area  of 
the  Commission’s  recommendations. 
regulatory  approximation, 
Azerbaijan should have made progress towards WTO accession as a precondition for starting 
DCFTA negotiations.  

in  accordance  with 

5 

DCFTA negotiations presuppose membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO). 

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To support the process of preparing for and implementing Association Agreements, including 
where appropriate DCFTAs, the EU and  Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Republic of 
Moldova respectively should agree Association Agendas in 2013.  

Throughout the negotiation process, the EU will provide policy dialogue and financial support 
to partners, including through Comprehensive Institution Building programmes. The progress 
made  towards  the  political  reforms  needed  to  implement  the  Eastern  Partnership’s  common 
values, and the overall state of EU relations with partner countries, will have a bearing on the 
pace with which partners will be able to benefit from a closer relationship with the EU. The 
forthcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine will be milestones for 
consolidating democracy in these countries. 

The  EU  expects  to  see  credible  and  sustained  efforts  towards  the  earliest  possible  peaceful 
settlement of the conflicts in Georgia, the Transnistrian conflict in the Republic of Moldova 
and the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The EU confirms its commitment to remain engaged 
and  involved  in  the  stabilisation  and  conflict  resolution  efforts  in  Georgia,  including  by 
continuing its engagement as co-chair in the Geneva Discussions, the efforts of the EUSR for 
South Caucasus  and the  crisis in Georgia  and  the continued presence of the EU Monitoring 
Mission (EUMM). As regards the Transnistrian conflict, the EU fully supports the on-going 
mediation efforts of the 5+2 format under OSCE aegis, in which it participates. The EU also 
fully  supports  the  mediation  efforts  of  the  OSCE  Minsk  Group  for  the  Nagorno-Karabakh 
conflict,  where  the  EU  is  not  a  member.  The  EU  reiterates  its  support  for  the  Madrid 
principles and calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to step up their efforts to reach agreement on 
those  principles  as  a  basis  for  peace.  The  EU  is  stepping  up  its  co-operation  with  partner 
countries concerned and strengthening its support for confidence building measures as well as 
measures to improve the lives of the people affected by the conflicts. Progress in the political 
association and economic integration of partners with the European Union will be beneficial 
for conflict settlement efforts and stability in the region.  

The  EU  will  remain  strongly  committed  to  strengthening  engagement  with  the  Belarusian 
people  and  civil  society.  Bearing  in  mind  the  current  state  of  EU-Belarus  relations,  the  EU 
will increase its support for Belarusian civil society and democratic political forces through a 
dedicated  “European  dialogue  on  modernisation”  which  was  launched  in  Brussels  on  29 
March 2012 as a sign of the EU’s firm commitment to supporting the democratic aspirations 
of the Belarusian people. The EU will continue to monitor the situation in Belarus closely and 
will remain committed to the policy of critical engagement, particularly through dialogue and 
the  Eastern  Partnership.  The  development  of  bilateral  relations  will  remain  conditional  on 
progress being made by Belarus in its respect for the principles of democracy, the rule of law 
and human rights. At the same time, and in the light of further developments, the EU stands 
ready to consider further targeted measures in all areas of cooperation, as appropriate.  

•  Objective 2: Enhanced mobility in a secure and well managed environment  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

Having implemented visa facilitation and readmission agreements with the EU since 2008, the 
Republic  of  Moldova  and  Ukraine  are  now  implementing  Visa  Liberalisation  Action  Plans. 
Mobility  Partnerships  are  in  place  with  Georgia  and  the  Republic  of  Moldova,  and  more 
recently with Armenia. Since March 2011, Georgia has been successfully implementing visa 
facilitation  and  readmission  agreements.  The  European  Commission  started  in  March  2012, 
following  a  mandate  obtained  from  the  Council  of  Ministers  of  the  EU  in  December  2011, 

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negotiations  on  similar  agreements  with  Armenia  and  Azerbaijan.  A  similar  offer,  made  to 
Belarus in June 2011, would benefit the Belarusian population at large but the authorities in 
Minsk  have  not  responded  to  it.  In  order  to  facilitate  the  issuing  of  visas  to  the  Belarusian 
public, EU Member States strive to make optimal use of the flexibilities offered by the Visa 
Code,  in  particular  the  possibilities  to  waive  and  reduce  visa  fees  for  certain  categories  of 
Belarusian citizens or in individual cases.  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

It  is  anticipated  that  negotiations  on  visa  facilitation  and  readmission  agreements  with 
Armenia and Azerbaijan could be concluded. The EU remains ready to launch negotiations on 
such agreements with Belarus. The establishment of a Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan 
could be envisaged. Effective implementation of visa facilitation and readmission agreements 
and effective cooperation in a wide range of justice and home affairs areas could lead to the 
start of negotiations on Visa Liberalisation Action Plans, very shortly with Georgia, and later 
on  also  with  Armenia  and  Azerbaijan.  The  EU  plans  to  start  a  visa  dialogue  with  Georgia 
shortly.  Visa  liberalisation  with  the  Republic  of  Moldova  and  Ukraine  will  depend  on  the 
implementation by the two countries of their respective Visa Liberalisation Action Plans. 

•  Objective 3: Enhanced sector cooperation  

The  sector  coverage  which  follows  is  indicative  and  non-exhaustive.  More  details  on 
enhanced  sector  cooperation  are  provided  in  the  tables.  The  informal  Eastern  Partnership 
Dialogues to be held twice a year with the partner countries (explained in detail in section 5 
below) will also contribute to enhancing the level of bilateral sector cooperation.  

Participation in EU programmes and agencies  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

The EU has signed protocols with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, which provide the 
legal basis for their participation in the EU programmes that are open to ENP partners. The 
Republic of Moldova has been associated to the 7th EU Framework Programme for Research 
and  Technological  Development  since  January  2012.  Cooperation  or  efforts  to  strengthen 
cooperation between EU agencies and the Eastern European countries have moved forward, 
particularly in the area of justice and home affairs and aviation safety.  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

The EU will facilitate partner countries’ participation in the work of EU agencies and the EU 
programmes  which  are  open  to  them  on  the  basis  of  the  relevant  Communication  of  the 
Commission6. By the end of 2013, protocols allowing further Eastern Partnership countries to 
participate  in  EU  programmes  will  have  been  negotiated  based  on  mutual  agreement.  The 
Commission  will  have  supported  partner  countries  in  fulfilling  the  legislative  pre-requisites 
for participation in EU agencies and will have made support available to cover some of the 
costs associated with participation in the work of EU agencies and programmes. 

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COM  (2006)  724,  Communication  from  the  Commission  on  “The  general  approach  to  enable  ENP 
partner  countries  to  participate  in  Community  agencies  and  Community  programmes”,  Brussels,  4 
December 2006 

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Energy  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

Sector reforms aimed at enhanced energy security are underway. Initial steps are being taken 
to  integrate  Eastern  European  countries  and  EU  energy  markets,  enhance  network 
interconnections  between  the  EU  and  the  Eastern  partnership  countries,  diversify  supply 
sources  and  routes,  improve  energy  efficiency  and  the  use  of  renewables.  A  start  has  been 
made on the approximation  of sector  legislation and regulation to some elements of the EU 
internal  energy  market  rules.  Ukraine  and  the  Republic  of  Moldova  are  members  of  the 
Energy  Community,  a  powerful  tool  for  integration.  Georgia  and  Armenia  are  observers. 
Nuclear safety improvements are ongoing in Ukraine and Armenia. Both countries undertook, 
following the Fukushima accident in 2011, to voluntarily perform, ‘stress tests’ on the basis of 
EU  specifications.  Belarus  also  committed  itself  to  carry  out  nuclear  safety  and  risk 
assessments for its nuclear power plant project.  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013 

To  strengthen  the  energy  partnership,  an  inclusive  and  open  policy  on  energy  security, 
transportation and supply will be promoted. Sector policy reforms should have considerably 
advanced  allowing  progress  towards  integrating  energy  markets.  Further  synergies  with  the 
activities of the Energy Community Treaty will be encouraged. Energy networks of common 
interest (natural gas, oil, electricity) should have been further developed, in terms of planning 
and actual construction, including concrete steps towards the realisation of the Southern Gas 
Corridor, a strategically important infrastructure to ensure the diversification of energy supply 
routes  from  the  Caspian  Sea  to  the  European  market.  Partners  would  have  stronger  energy 
efficiency and renewable energy policies and projects in place. Ukraine and Armenia should 
have further improved the safety of their nuclear power plants and should have completed the 
‘stress tests’. 

Transport  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now? 

While transport sector reforms covering all transport modes have been started, they are far 
from  complete.  Most  countries  are  gradually  aligning  with  EU  transport  standards.  A  high 
level of transport safety, security and social standards is crucial for closer integration of the 
partner countries in the EU’s transport system.  

In  the  aviation  sector,  negotiations  on  comprehensive  air  services  agreements  have  been 
concluded with Georgia and the Republic of Moldova and are about to start with Azerbaijan. 
Negotiations with Ukraine are advancing. Improving maritime safety remains a challenge, as 
the  flags  of  most  partner  countries  remain  on  the  black  list  of  the  Paris  Memorandum  of 
Understanding  on  Port  State  Control  that  measures  Flag  State  performance.  Road  safety  in 
the  partner  countries  is  of  concern,  as  mortality  rates  from  road  traffic  injuries  are 
considerably higher than in the EU. The potential of rail transport could be further exploited 
through higher interoperability with the EU’s rail systems. The smooth travel of people and 
flow  of  goods  between  the  EU  and  partner  countries  is  challenged  by  bottlenecks  in 
infrastructure.  The  EU  and  partner  countries  are  cooperating  on  infrastructure  planning  to 
ensure connections between transport networks.  

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Expected achievements by autumn 2013 

Transport  sector  reforms  should  have  ensured  greater  approximation  to  EU  transport 
standards. Negotiations on air services agreements should have been concluded with a number 
of  countries,  while  other  negotiations  should  be  on-going  or  upcoming  and  implementation 
should  have  been  followed  up.  Maritime  safety  and  security  should  have  improved  through 
policy  reform  and  flags  would  have  improved  in  terms  of  the  Paris  Memorandum  on  Port 
State Control. The partner countries should be able to demonstrate improved track records in 
road safety, as well as concrete steps in improving rail interoperability with the EU. Transport 
links  with  the  EU  should  have  improved  through  better  planning  of  networks  and  work  on 
priority  infrastructure  projects  that  help  to  connect  the  partner  countries  with  the  Trans-
European transport network.  

Freedom, justice and security  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

In this area, bilateral cooperation has developed incrementally. Cooperation was initiated with 
Ukraine  first,  on  the  basis  of  a  specific  EU-Ukraine  sectoral  Action  Plan.  The  Mobility 
Partnerships  with  the  Republic  of  Moldova  and  Georgia  have  become  examples  of  the 
strengthening of ties and activities in the broader area of migration, thus contributing to the 
signature of a Mobility Partnership with Armenia in October 2011. There has been increased 
regional  cooperation  on  border  management,  in  the  context  of  the  EU  Border  Assistance 
Mission  to  the  Republic  of  Moldova  and  Ukraine  (EUBAM)  and  the  Southern  Caucasus 
Integrated Border Management (SCIBM) project. EUBAM has also continued to provide for 
appropriate  monitoring  of  the  situation  around  the  Transnistrian  region  of  the  Republic  of 
Moldova. Asylum, the fight against organised crime, trafficking in human beings and money 
laundering  as  well  as  corruption,  data  protection  and  judicial  cooperation  have  been  on  the 
agenda  of  the  EU  and  Eastern  European  partners  in  recent  years.  Dialogues  on  drugs  were 
launched in 2011 with the Republic of Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan. In December 2011, 
the  EU  reiterated  its  intention  to  further  strengthen  sector  cooperation,  within  the  Eastern 
Partnership framework, including collaboration on anti-drugs issues. Furthermore, as stated in 
the European Commission's Communication on Cooperation in the Area of Justice and Home 
Affairs within the EaP, the possibility of convening regular meetings at Ministerial level on 
JHA issues as appropriate in the interest of the cooperation may also play a role in ensuring 
relevant political guidance and coordination, in order to achieve progress in particular areas of 
work7. 

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

In line with the European Commission’s Communication on Cooperation in the area of JHA 
within  the  EaP  and  the  relevant  Council  Conclusions8,  progress  can  be  expected  on 
promoting legal migration through appropriate regulatory work and legislation enforcement. 
In asylum matters, legislation would have been introduced and administrative structures and 
procedures set up, ensuring effective protection. The relevant legislative framework to combat 

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COM  (2011)  564,  Communication  from  the  Commission  on  "Cooperation  in  the  Area  of  Justice  and 
Home Affairs within the Eastern Partnership, Brussels, 26 September 2011 
Council  conclusions  on  “Cooperation  in  the  Area  of  Justice  and  Home  Affairs  within  the  Eastern 
Partnership”, Brussels, 13-14 December 2011 

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irregular  migration,  including  readmission,  would  have  been  completed,  and  effective 
implementation measures carried out.  

relevant 

The fight against trafficking in human beings would be put into practice performed by fully 
implementing 
integrated  border 
management  carried  out  on  the  basis  of  best  practices  and  international  agreements. 
Considerable  progress  would  have  been  made  in  combating  organised  crime,  and  financial 
crimes, including terrorist financing, in tackling illicit drugs trade and corruption, and in data 
protection by establishing effective legislation backed by thorough enforcement measures. 

international  Conventions,  along  with 

Regional development, agriculture and rural development  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

In the field of regional policy, a dialogue is in place with Ukraine and dialogues have recently 
been  launched  and  work  programmes  agreed  with  Georgia  and  the  Republic  of  Moldova. 
Large  programmes  on  regional  development  are  ongoing  in  Ukraine  and  Georgia  and 
discussions are ongoing with the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan on their respective 
regional  development  strategies  in  view  of  preparing  Pilot  Regional  Development 
Programmes  (PRDPs).  For  Moldova,  preparations  are  at  a  final  stage  and  the  programme 
will be launched in 2012. In the field of agriculture and rural development, sectoral dialogues 
are  taking  place  in  the  relevant  sub-committees  under  the  Partnership  Cooperation 
Agreements. To strengthen the cooperation in the field of agriculture with partner countries, 
the  Commission  has  started  work  on  a  general  approach  to  support  this  sector  through  a 
European  Neighbourhood  Programme  for  Agriculture  and  Rural  Development  - 
(ENPARD).  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013 

In the field of regional development, progress should have been made in implementing work 
programmes,  and dialogues may  have been launched with other interested partners. In most 
partner countries, PRDPs will be in their implementation phase. As regards agriculture and 
rural  development,  preparatory  work  on  sector  overview  studies  to  launch  ENPARD  will 
have been carried out. It is expected that ENPARD will help partner countries to operate more 
effectively  in  foreign  markets,  to  benefit  fully  from  the  future  DCFTAs,  and  to  stimulate 
farming  domestically.  In  that  framework,  the  Commission  will  be  engaging  in  close  policy 
dialogues  with  partner  countries  to  promote  long-term  agricultural  and  rural  development 
strategies  in  close  cooperation  with  all  relevant  stakeholders.  To  that  end,  a  study  will  be 
launched,  to  review,  with  the  partner  countries,  their  rural  and  agricultural  policies  and 
strategies and identify with them possible areas of future support, providing a solid basis for 
the further identification of ENPARD programmes in the Eastern European partner countries. 
In parallel, in Georgia, a large programme of 40 M EUR in the agriculture sector “Support to 
the agriculture sector – ENPARD Georgia” is being finalised. Further ENPARD cooperation 
programmes will be considered in the framework of the programming exercise to be launched 
this summer, based on the assessment of ongoing rural development programmes such as the 
above  mentioned  one  in  Georgia  and  the  ones  in  Azerbaijan  (Agricultural  and  rural 
development) and in the Republic of Moldova (Stimulating development in rural areas).  

In  addition,  the  EU  is  ready  to  cooperate  more  closely  with  coastal  partner  States  on 
maritime policy inter alia to ensure the sustainable use of fisheries resources. 

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Environment and climate change  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now? 

Cooperation on environment and climate change covers a broad range of topics, such as green 
economy,  biodiversity,  a  shared  environmental  information  system,  and  environmental 
assessments.  An  overriding  goal  is  to  support  regulatory  approximation,  strengthen 
administrative  capacities  and  implementation,  and  implement  multilateral  environmental 
agreements. 

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

Partner  countries  should  have  progressed  considerably  in  preparing  themselves  for 
convergence  with  crucial  EU  environmental  legislation.  They  should  have  improved  their 
administrative  set-up  and  made  progress  in  establishing  a  comprehensive  system  for 
environmental data collection. 

5. 

THE MULTILATERAL SECTION OF THE ROADMAP  

The multilateral dimension of the Eastern Partnership is designed to support and reinforce the 
bilateral  objectives  of  the  Partnership.  It  provides  a  forum  for  sharing  information  on  and 
experience of the partner countries’ steps towards transition, reform and modernisation. As a 
tool  to  advance  integration  with  the  EU,  it  allows  partners  to  benefit  from  an  additional 
instrument  to  aid  reform  efforts  and  facilitate  legal  approximation.  As  reaffirmed  in  the 
Warsaw Summit declaration, the Eastern Partnership should also further promote stability and 
multilateral confidence-building where protracted conflicts still impede cooperation efforts. 

This  part  of  the  Roadmap  document  closely  follows  the  objectives  defined  by  the  biennial 
work programmes of the Eastern Partnership multilateral Platforms. These fora, attended by 
senior officials from EU Member States and the partner countries, engage in policy dialogue 
on  the  following  thematic  issues:  democracy,  good  governance  and  stability;  economic 
developments;  energy  security;  engaging  civil  society  and  facilitating  contacts  between 
people across borders. They complement the bilateral agenda of EU-partner country relations. 

The  EU  has  launched  a  range  of  flagship  initiatives  since  the  creation  of  the  Eastern 
Partnership  which  are  regularly  discussed  within  the  relevant  multilateral  Platform.  An 
assessment of them will be conducted during 2012-13 and the EU will reflect on possible new 
flagship initiatives in the run up to the next Eastern Partnership Summit, in the framework of 
programming for the 2014-2020 period, to be implemented from 2014. 

Informal  Eastern  Partnership  Dialogues  are  being  put  in  place  as  another  means  of 
strengthening the link between the bilateral and multilateral processes, of boosting the sense 
of  joint  ownership  of  the  Eastern  Partnership  and  of  fostering  a  regional  dynamic.  These 
biannual  informal  multilateral  dialogues  between  the  Foreign  Ministers  of  the  partner 
countries  and  the  EU’s  High  Representative/Vice  President  and  Commissioner  for 
Neighbourhood Policy will provide the opportunity for ministerial-level informal discussions 
on  developments  in  partner  countries,  and  progress  on  reform  processes,  and  allow  for 
monitoring the implementation of the Eastern Partnership Roadmap. This framework will also 
provide  for  informal  dialogue  sessions  between  the  relevant  sectoral  Ministers  and  EU 
Commissioners  to  strengthen  multilateral  sector  cooperation  between  the  EU  and  the 
Eastern European partners. 

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•  Democracy, good governance and stability  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

Progress has already been made in the following areas: the fight against corruption, democracy 
and  human  rights,  addressing  the  functioning  of  the  judiciary,  cybercrime,  and  improving 
electoral standards. The Platform on Democracy, Good Governance and Stability has recently 
launched  new  expert  Panels  on  Public  Administration  Reform  and  on  Migration  and 
Asylum, and adopted their two year work plans. The Platform is developing ideas on how to 
improve common approaches among law enforcement agencies to curb cross-border crime 
as well as launch cooperation in the field on Common Security & Defence Policy (CSDP) 
issues.  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

Significant  progress  should  have  been  made  in  implementing  agreed  core  objectives  of  the 
current Work Programme 2012-2013, including the two related flagship initiatives. Activities 
related  to  the  flagship  initiative  in  the  field  of  Integrated  Border  Management  (IBM) 
should have resulted in over 700 border guard and customs officials having received training 
and  the  implementation  of  a  number  of  concrete  pilot  projects  at  partner  country  borders 
should  have  been  launched.  In  the  field  of  civil  protection,  the  flagship  initiative  on 
Prevention  of,  Preparedness  for,  and  Response  to  natural  and  man-made  disasters 
(PPRD)  should  have  made  significant  progress  in  developing  an  Electronic  Risk  Atlas  and 
made  recommendations  for  improving  the  capacities  of  partner  countries  for  prevention, 
preparedness and response.  

Working  closely  with  the  Council  of  Europe  through  the  EU-funded  Eastern  Partnership 
Facility,  the  activities  of  the  Platform  on  Democracy,  Good  Governance  and  Stability  and 
related  Panels  should  have  contributed  to  an  improvement  in  compliance  with  European 
standards  in  the  field  of  elections,  judicial  reform  and  the  fight  against  corruption  as 
well  as  enhancing  capacities  for  tackling  cyber-crime.  Activities  should  have  been 
undertaken  to  strengthen  Ombudsman  institutions.  Progress  in  public  administration 
reform should have been made as a result of the exchanges, training sessions, seminars and 
workshops  undertaken  over  the  course  of  2012-13.  Support  offered  through  Cross-Border 
Cooperation  Programmes  and  territorial  cooperation  pilot  projects,  the  activities  of  the 
Conference  of  Local  and  Regional  Authorities  (CORLEAP)  and  the  Panel  on  Public 
Administration Reform should have strengthened capacities of partner countries at regional 
and local government level.  

The  new  Migration  and  Asylum  Panel  should  have  strengthened  asylum  and  migration 
systems in line with best practice. Cooperation between law enforcement agencies should 
have been enhanced through the launch of the EuroEast Police Project. Exchanges on how to 
enhance  cooperation  on  international  security  issues  and  CSDP  should  have  been 
launched. 

•  Economic integration and convergence with EU policies  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

The  Platform  on  economic  integration  and  convergence  with  EU  policies  has  assisted 
partners’ efforts on trade- and trade-related regulatory approximation, investment climate and 

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SME  development.  The  Platform’s  Panel  on  Trade  and  Trade  Related  Regulatory 
Cooperation linked to DCFTAs has addressed a wide range of subjects, to support the trade 
negotiations  taking  place  under  the  Eastern  Partnership’s  bilateral  track.  A  Panel  on 
Environment  and  Climate  Change  focuses  on  convergence  with  EU  environment 
legislation, greening economies and actions to address climate change. The Platform has set 
up a Panel on SME policy and business to business contacts are being promoted. A Panel 
on Transport was established in 2011 to strengthen transport connections with neighbouring 
countries by facilitating the implementation of measures set out in the relevant Commission 
Communication.9 A Panel on labour market and social policies is being considered.  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

Work  in  this  field  should  have  contributed  to  the  progressive  approximation  of  partner 
countries’ legislation with the relevant trade and trade-related EU acquis, in the framework of 
current  or  future  DCFTA  negotiations  and  implementation.  Customs  cooperation  should 
have  resulted  in  more  fluid  and  secure  trade  lanes,  the  development  of  risk  management 
systems  and  support  for  overall  customs  modernisation, including convergence with  the EU 
standards in partner countries and progress in the fight against fraud, especially smuggling of 
cigarettes.  Cooperation  in  the  field  of  Small  and  Medium-sized  Enterprises  (SMEs), 
including through the flagship initiative, should have resulted in improved access to advisory 
services and investment financing. In the field of information society, an Eastern Partnership 
network of regulators will have been established. In the transport field, efforts should have 
focused  on  advancing  market  integration  and  improving  interconnections,  so  as  to  facilitate 
passenger  and  freight  transport.  Enhanced  dialogue  on  environment  and  climate  change 
ought to contribute to  convergence with EU environment legislation, and support  should be 
provided  to  build  up  national  emission  trading  schemes  and  undertake  climate  change  pilot 
projects.  The  dialogue  on  harmonisation  of  taxation  policies  and  good  governance  in  the 
taxation area will be continued. A dialogue on labour market and social policies should be 
established,  with  a  view  to  promote  exchanges  on  employment,  social  protection  and  social 
inclusion policies, involving public services and social partners as stakeholders. The EU and 
partner  countries  should  also  continue  to  cooperate  on  the  promotion  and  dissemination  of 
high quality statistics.  

Enhanced  cooperation  with  EIB  (European  Investment  Bank),  EBRD  (European  Bank  for 
Reconstruction  and  Development)  and  other  European  financial  institutions  will  have 
contributed to better leverage EU funding notably for key transport interconnection projects, 
including through the EIB Eastern Partners Facility. The EU is developing further options to 
support risk capital operations and guarantee schemes in the Eastern neighbourhood with EIB, 
EBRD  and  other  European  financial  institutions,  building  on  the  encouraging  experience 
gained  by  EU  support  granted  to  the  European  Fund  for  SoutheastEurope  (EFSE)  and  the 
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) facility. 

•  Energy security  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now? 

The  Platform  on  energy  security  is  working  on  its  four  core  objectives:  enhancement  of 
framework conditions and solidarity; support for infrastructure development, interconnection 

9 

COM(2011) 415, Communication from the Commission on “The EU and its neighbouring regions: A 
renewed approach to transport cooperation”, Brussels, 7 July 2011 

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and diversification of supply; promotion of increased energy efficiency and use of renewable 
resources;  regulatory  framework  and  approximation  of  energy  policies.  Based  on  the 
orientations  given  by  the  Warsaw  Summit  Declaration,  the  Platform’s  2012-13  work 
programme also includes activities aiming to establish and strengthen a regulatory framework 
in nuclear safety.  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

legislation 

Work  in  2012-13  should  have  focused  on  enhancing  cooperation  to  integrate  competitive 
energy  markets  with  the  EU  market  through  comprehensive  energy  sector  reforms 
(policies, 
the 
implementation  and  regulation).  Efforts 
diversification of energy supplies will also be continued. Significant efforts will be made to 
promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables. In all these areas the flagship initiative 
on  regional  electricity  markets,  energy  efficiency  and  renewable  energy  through  the 
INOGATE programme and the Covenant of Mayors will contribute towards the achievement 
of the core objectives.  

to  contribute 

to 

As  part  of  the  effort  to  promote  a  stronger  nuclear  safety  culture  and  develop  a  solid 
legally binding regulatory framework in line with international treaties and conventions, it is 
expected that the partner countries concerned will finalise ‘stress tests’ in the course of 2012.  

•  Contacts between people  

Where does the Eastern Partnership stand now?  

The  Platform  on  contacts  between  people  supports  the  interaction  between  EU  and  partner 
countries’  citizens,  focusing  in  particular  on  students,  academic  staff,  researchers,  young 
people,  and  cultural  actors.  EU  Member  States  and  partner  countries  have  entered  into  a 
dialogue  on  a  number  of  policies,  including  youth  and  culture.  Cooperation  is  organised  in 
and  around  a  number  of  EU  cooperation  programmes,  new  or  existing,  in  the  areas  of 
education,  higher  education,  research  and  innovation,  youth  and  culture.  Attention  is  being 
paid to modernisation issues, building capacity in research and innovation, and the mobility of 
students,  teachers,  researchers  and  young  people.  The  Platform  also  promotes  building 
cooperative links with the EU in all areas of research, including research infrastructures.  

Expected achievements by autumn 2013  

Cooperation  to  foster  contacts  between  people  should  result  in  increased  participation  by 
partner  country  students  and  teachers  in  EU  international  higher  education  cooperation 
programmes.  

For  example,  it  is  expected  that  more  than  2300  scholarships  will  be  awarded  to  partner 
country  students  and  academic  staff  through  the  Erasmus  Mundus  programme  for  the  2012 
and 2013 academic years. The convergence of higher education systems, promotion of school 
cooperation  and  collaborative  learning  will  also  have  increased.  Partner  countries  should 
benefit  from  increased  participation  in  the  EU  Youth  in  Action  Programme  (through  the 
opening  of  a  large  Eastern  Partnership  window).  The  capacity  of  officials  and  civil  society 
actors  in  partner  countries  dealing  with  youth  policy  should  have  been  enhanced. 
Cooperation  in  the  field  of  culture  will  be  intensified  through  the  Eastern  Partnership 
Culture Programme and enhanced policy dialogue, including expert level seminars as well as 
a high level event gathering policy makers and personalities from the cultural scene to be held 
in 2013. Cooperation in this context should help in raising awareness in partner countries on 

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the  potential  of  culture  in  economic  and  social  development  and  to  strengthen  cross-
ministerial  cooperation  in  cultural  matters.  Cooperation  will  have  been  initiated  in  the 
audiovisual sector involving policy makers and professionals’ representatives.  

2012-13  should  also  see  the  increased  participation  in  the  EU  7th  Research  Framework 
Programme  through  building  research  capacity  and  improved  dissemination  of  knowledge 
on  funding  opportunities,  in  particular  by  the  locally  appointed  focal  point  contacts  and 
sharing of best practice on, in particular, the independent peer review of research proposals. 
Efforts  to  improve  the  links  between  partner  countries  national  Research  and  Education 
Networks  and  GEANT  will  be  made.  Overall  during  2012-13,  efforts  will  be  undertaken  to 
work towards the development of a Common Knowledge and Innovation Space. 

6. 

IMPLEMENTATION  OF  THE  EASTERN  PARTNERSHIP  OBJECTIVES:  
INTERACTING WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS 

Within  the  Eastern  Partnership,  considerable  attention  has  been  paid  to  engaging  with  all 
strands of society.  

The  Civil  Society  Forum  was  established  in  2009  to  facilitate  the  involvement  of  civil 
society  organisations  in  implementing  the  Partnership.  Its  role  has  been  recognised  by  EU 
Member  States  and  Eastern  European  countries,  as  a  result  of  the  decision  to  invite 
representatives  of  the  Civil  Society  Forum  to  the  four  Eastern  Partnership  multilateral 
Platforms  as  permanent  participants.  The  Forum’s  strategy  adopted  at  its  annual  meeting  in 
Poznan  (November  2011),  will  help  target  civil  society’s  contributions  to  the  work  of  the 
Partnership.  National  Platforms  of  the  Civil  Society  Forum  have  been  established  and  will 
contribute to debate at national level on Eastern Partnership goals in the partner countries. To 
increase  grant  support  for  civil  society  organisations  in  EU  neighbouring  countries,  a  new 
Neighbourhood  Civil  Society  Facility  was  set  up  in  September  2011  covering  the  entire 
neighbourhood with an initial budget of 26 M EUR for 2011 and similar amounts planned for 
2012  and  2013.  Furthermore,  the  main  principles  for  the  establishment  of  the  European 
Endowment  for  Democracy  (EED)  were  agreed  by  the  Council  of  Ministers  of  the  EU  in 
December 2011. The EED which will have an initial, although not exclusive focus on the EU 
neighbourhood, will help provide additional support for those who are engaged in democratic 
causes in the region. The European Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC) plays an 
important role and contributes to the dialogue with civil society in the Eastern neighbourhood. 
It  also  contributes  to  strengthening  of  dialogue  with  employers'  organisations  and  trade 
unions. The promotion of regular meetings of representatives of both EU civil society as well 
as civil society of the partner countries is also envisaged in the Association Agreements under 
negotiation.  

The  EURONEST  Parliamentary  Assembly  established 
in  May  2011  brings 
parliamentarians from partner countries together with members of the European Parliament. It 
contributes to the strengthening, development and visibility of the Eastern Partnership as the 
institution  responsible  for  parliamentary  consultation,  supervision  and  monitoring  of  the 
Partnership.  Since  its  establishment,  EURONEST  has  taken  a  number  of  measures  to 
streamline parliamentary debate on the Eastern Partnership agenda.  

The  Conference  of  Local  and  Regional  Authorities  (CORLEAP)  set  up  in  September 
2011  has  laid  the  foundations  for  a  regional  dimension  of  the  Partnership.  Further 

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development of CORLEAP will help foster a better linkage between the national authorities 
and citizens in the fulfilment of Eastern Partnership objectives.  

The Eastern Partnership Business Forum launched in Sopot in September 2011 will allow 
the  business  communities  of  the  EU  and  partner  countries  to  develop  the  Forum  further 
particularly  now  that  DCFTA  negotiations  have  been  concluded  with  one  partner  and  are 
ongoing with several others.  

The  Eastern  Partnership  also  benefits  from  the  expertise  of  the  Council  of  Europe  which 
implements the EU- financed Council of Europe Eastern Partnership Facility.  

To  support  sound  policy  reforms  and  with  a  view  to  contributing  to  the  realisation  of  large 
infrastructure  projects  linking  Eastern  European  partners  to  the  EU,  boost  development  and 
address  key  energy,  environment  and  transport  challenges,  the  EIB  and  other  regional  and 
national  development  banks  such  as  the  EBRD  are  helping  to  secure  additional  funding  to 
underpin growth and jobs creation. 

In the context of the Eastern Partnership, an Information and Coordination Group brings 
together non-EU partners and international financing institutions to exchange information on 
the Eastern Partnership and to promote donor coordination. 

7. 

MONITORING THE ROADMAP IMPLEMENTATION 

The Roadmap is intended to serve as a practical tool for monitoring and assessing the progress 
of the Eastern Partnership. It is a single set of documents, intended for EU Member States and 
Eastern  European  countries  alike,  outlining  the  mutually  agreed  objectives,  the  necessary 
policy steps to be taken by partner countries, the support extended by the EU to achieve those 
steps  and  the  expected  outcome.  The  Roadmap  thus  sets  out  measures  to  achieve  concrete 
progress by autumn 2013. 

The  EU  and  partner  countries  will  have  the  opportunity  to  collectively  assess  the  progress 
made  in  implementing  the  objectives  of  the  Eastern  Partnership  at  annual  meetings  of  the 
Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers. The informal Eastern Partnership Dialogues to be held 
twice  a  year  at  Ministerial  level  will  also  provide  the  occasion  to  exchange  views  on  the 
Roadmap implementation and to address specific sectoral aspects. 

The  Warsaw  Summit  Declaration has  given  civil  society  a  mandate  to  engage  in  support  of 
democracy,  sustainable  socio-economic  development,  good  governance  and  the  rule  of  law. 
Civil  society  is  expected  to  facilitate  the  transformation  of  partner  countries  by  advocating 
reforms and by fostering the Eastern Partnership’s values.  

Civil  society  input  is  also  crucial  in  terms  of  monitoring  of  the  implementation  of  the 
Partnership and the pace of reforms in partner countries through its yearly assessment reports.  

Therefore, the Civil Society  Forum and its National Platforms (cooperation with which  will 
be further strengthened through structured dialogue already launched by the EU Delegations) 
as  well  as  the  EURONEST  Parliamentary  Assembly  and  CORLEAP  are  expected  to  play  a 
greater 
the  Roadmap 
implementation. 

the  Partnership’s  goals  and  monitoring 

in  achieving 

role 

In  order  to  support  the  monitoring  of  the  implementation  of  the  Eastern  Partnership 
objectives, efforts will be made to enhance the visibility of Eastern Partnership activities.  

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8. 

FOLLOW-UP  

In drawing up the Roadmap, consideration was given to proposals formulated by EU Member 
States,  Eastern  European  countries  and  civil  society  representatives  in  a  series  of 
consultations. 

Building  on  this  collaborative  exercise,  it  is  expected  that  the  Roadmap  will  become  an 
effective  and  dynamic  tool  to  support  the  achievement  of  the  objectives  of  the  Eastern 
Partnership.  

Following  its  adoption  by  the  High  Representative  and  the  European  Commission  in  May 
2012,  the  Eastern  Partnership  Roadmap  will  be  discussed  at  the  annual  Eastern  Partnership 
Foreign Ministers meeting scheduled to take place in summer 2012.  

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