EU Publishes Joint Communication on Eastern Partnership Policy beyond 2020
The EU Joint Communication on Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020 was published in Brussels yesterday, 18 March. For Georgia, it means continued strong support to the economy, job creation, connectivity & democratic institutions. A new focus was placed on the environment, health and the digital agenda.
EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell said: “The new strategy sets out new, ambitious targets for the Eastern Partnership. Thanks to all our partners in Georgia who have contributed in the consultation process. Economic development, connectivity, and job creation will remain top of our agenda, alongside support to strengthen democratic institutions. Among the novelties, we find an increased emphasis on the environment and health, which I personally warmly welcome as I know that Georgia stands well prepared to profit in these areas. Also, mirroring the EU’s own priorities, we should be able to do more on the digital agenda, helping an advanced partner like Georgia to go further and faster in modernizing its economy and society. We are looking forward to continuing to discuss all these issues in the run-up to the next Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels on 18 June.”
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative of the European Union, its Member States and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine (‘the partner countries’). Launched in 2009, the EaP is a strategic and ambitious partnership based on common values and rules, mutual interests and commitments as well as shared ownership and responsibility. It aims to strengthen and deepen the political and economic relations between the EU, its Member States, and the partner countries and helps them in achieving the twin ecological and digital transformation. It supports the delivery of many global policy objectives, including the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes to the overall goal of increasing the stability, prosperity, and resilience of the EU’s neighbors as set out in the Global Strategy for the foreign and security policy of the European Union and the 2015 European neighborhood policy review. It is fully aligned with the European Commission’s Political Guidelines 2019-2024. Finally, it reflects all relevant flagship strategies adopted by the Commission.