EaP summit declaration: EU acknowledges initiative of associated trio to enhance cooperation with EU
The declaration states that the EU will continue to support the implementation of the Eastern Partnership European school in Georgia along with the support for culture and creative industries. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit held yesterday in Brussels has concluded with the adoption of a declaration which acknowledges the initiative of the associated trio uniting Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova ‘to enhance cooperation with the EU.'
The EU takes good note of the increased coordination amongst them [assosiated trio] on matters of common interest related to the implementation of the Association Agreements and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTAs), and on cooperation within the Eastern Partnership,” the declaration reads.
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are the three associated partners of the EU which launched the format of the Associated Trio earlier this year. The main purpose of the Associated Trio is to strengthen the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative and ensure joint efforts for European integration.
It further says that in framework of this cooperation the EU together with these three countries will explore options for enhanced sectoral cooperation such as: the twin green and digital transitions, connectivity, energy security, justice and home affairs, strategic communication and healthcare.
At the same time, the EU continues to stress the importance of the principle of inclusivity, providing equal access to opportunities and resources to all interested partners,” the document says.
Had tête-à-tête w/ @CharlesMichel in the frames of the 6th #EaP Summit. Reassured ????????'s commitment to the reform agenda on its ???????? integration path. ????????& ???????? have a strong & steady partnership. Ambitious benchmarks are set & we are diligent on this path. pic.twitter.com/zmW0PLG1zQ
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) December 15, 2021
The declaration states that the EU will continue to support the implementation of the Eastern Partnership European school in Georgia along with the support for culture and creative industries.
The document also emphasises that the EU remains committed ‘in its support to the territorial integrity within their internationally recognised borders, independence, and sovereignty of all Eastern partners.’
The declaration calls for ‘renewed efforts’ for promoting the peaceful settlement of unresolved conflicts in the Eastern Partnership region ‘based on the principles and norms of international law.’
The documents also touches upon the issue of global pandemic stating that it will continue to support partner countries in addressing ‘the pandemic, the vaccination process, to fight against anti-vaccine disinformation and to foster longer term health resilience.’
Over 2.5 billion EUR has been mobilised through rapid Team Europe support package since 2020 and 13 million vaccine doses were donated to partner countries via the COVAX Facility and through the EU Vaccine Sharing mechanism.
The EaP summit adopted a new agenda which will be underpinned by the 2.3 billion EUR regional economic and investment plan with a potential to mobilise up to 17 billion EUR in public and private investments for the region.
The EaP format was launched on April 7, 2009 and united six Eastern European countries – Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. However, Belarus suspended its participation in the EaP following the economic sanctions imposed by the EU against the country earlier this year.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has said that Georgia is being 'diligent' on its EU integration path at the 6th Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit held in Brussels today.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has held a meeting with European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi in Brussels earlier today.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held a meeting earlier today wherein a ‘clear vision of Georgia’s eventual integration to NATO’ was discussed. Garibashvili stated that time has come to advance the country’s integration and ‘make concrete political decisions.’
Lithuanian MEP Andrius Kubilius has stated that it is time to ‘move forward with the real Euroatlantic integration’ of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, noting that otherwise ‘it will become clear that the future of these countries is sacrificed for the appeasement of Putin.'
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has announced that tomorrow a Georgian delegation headed by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili will leave for Brussels to participate in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit on December 15, calling it an ‘extremely important event’ to bring Georgia closer to the European Union (EU).
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmuhal and Moldovan PM Natalia Gavrilita have pledged to deepen ties with top officials of the European Union while paying a visit to Brussels ahead of the December 15 Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit.
Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has stated that the EU and Georgia are strategic partners, noting that ‘we continue to support resilience, recovery and reforms’ in the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic in Brussels earlier today, where he stated that Georgia’s European course is ‘irreversible,’ hence plans to apply for EU membership in 2024. The outcomes of yesterday’s Eastern Partnership Summit and Georgia’s progress on its path to the EU were discussed at the meeting, the government of Georgia's press office reported.
Rothschild & Co, a global financial giant, will write a strategy for Georgia on how to transform itself into a regional financial hub, the government of Georgia says. An agreement between Rothschild & Co Managing Partner Arielle Malard de Rothschild and the government of Georgia was signed earlier today in Brussels.
The new EU-funded online platform Eastern Partnership (EaP) Trade Helpdesk was launched on December 15, which aims to support trade and investment between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries. The platform will facilitate ‘opening new market opportunities’ both for importers and exporters in the EU and the EaP countries.
Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has stated that he shares the Georgian opposition’s concerns over the ‘stalled’ electoral and judiciary reforms ‘which go to the essence of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement (AA),’ the letter sent by Borrell to Georgian opposition leaders reads.
The integration of Georgia with the European Union and NATO, completion of the country’s de-occupation strategy and regional policy are at the top of the agenda of the annual Ambassadorial Conference 2021 which is taking place online between December 22-24.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has discussed regional security challenges and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on an official visit to Lithuania earlier today.