Partnerstwo Wschodnie: krok w kierunku integracji europejskiej

Godz. 6-7:30 wiecz., 1501 International Affairs Building, Columbia University, 420 West 118th St. na Manhattanie.

The Eastern Partnership was a Polish initiative realized jointly with Sweden. As an EU initiative, it was launched at the Prague Eastern Partnership summit in May 2009 where a joint declaration was adopted. It concerns six partner countries in Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus: the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Through this initiative, the EU supports reforms in the partner countries that are aimed at consolidating democracy, the rule of law, the respect for human rights and an open market economy.  At the same time, it offers gradual integration into the European economy, greater mobility for citizens and closer political ties. Over the period 2010-13, approximately Ř 1.9 billion is allocated in the frame of bilateral and regional ENPI programs to support the implementation of the EaP.

The Eastern Partnership provides for Association Agreements with each of the participating states, which are to replace the existing Partnership and Cooperation Agreements. The new accords are to include deep and comprehensive free trade agreements. The negotiations for closer economic integration are complemented by a program of institution building for partner countries to enable them to implement the agreements. This is meant to improve the administrative capacity of partner countries and their compatibility with EU institutions, for instance through twinning programs, professional training and secondment of personnel.

Greater mobility of citizens is also a core objective of the Eastern Partnership. Visa-free regimes are a second step, provided that conditions for secure mobility are in place. To support cooperation on common challenges faced by the partner countries and good neighborly relations, the Eastern Partnership also contains a multilateral track. Four multilateral policy platforms have been established, concerning democracy, good governance and stability; economic integration and convergence with EU policies; energy security, and contacts between people. The EU supports the multilateral dimension of the Eastern Partnership with a budget of EUR 350 million over the period of 2010-13. Of these, around EUR 160 million will be spent on several Eastern Partnership flagship initiatives:

- Integrated border management flagship initiative

- Support to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Flagship Initiative

- Regional energy markets, energy efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources flagship initiative

- Prevention, Preparedness and Response to natural and man-made Disasters Flagship Initiative

- Diversification of energy supply

- Environmental Governance Flagship Initiative

Meetings of Heads of State and government within the Eastern Partnership are scheduled every two years whereas foreign ministers meet every year.