Brussels, 21/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 17 May, ministers from the Visegrad group (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia), Ireland and Lithuania called for visibility of the Eastern Partnership to be strengthened. In the conclusions of their meeting in Krakow (Poland), they stress the importance of strengthening the visibility of the Eastern Partnership through the preparation and implementation of a visibility strategy provided for in the roadmap of the Eastern Partnership, and through the application of an Eastern Partnership label for all EU initiatives and projects in the region.
As part of the Eastern Partnership's multilateral strand, the ministers call on the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to put together proposals to broaden the concept of strengthening the impact of the flagship initiatives, and to propose new ones. They encourage the Commission to develop more programmes involving contacts between people - particularly young people - and stress the importance of wider engagement of civil society in implementing the Partnership's objectives.
In their conclusions, the countries of the EU appreciate the determination of the Partnership countries which - despite a few internal difficulties - are making progress in the process of implementing political, social and economic reforms. The ministers also welcome the substantial progress achieved in the association agreement negotiations. They reiterate their commitment to signing the agreement with Ukraine, perhaps at the next Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, and they recognise that this signature must be accompanied by temporary application of some parts of the agreement. They also underline their firm support for the initialling of the agreement with Moldova, Georgia and Armenia at this same summit, and they reiterate their commitment to making progress in the negotiations with Azerbaijan. The ministers welcome the progress achieved in the process of visa liberalisation - for example, for Moldova and Georgia. They explain the need to further develop the European dialogue on modernisation with Belarus.
EU partnership is important for citizens. In an EU Neighbourhood Barometer survey which appeared at the end of April 2013, citizens from the Eastern Partnership countries and Russia consider that the EU is an important partner for their country (58% of Russians, 60% of Ukrainians, 67% of Moldovans, 71% of Georgians and 86% of Armenians). In Azerbaijan and Belarus alone do only a minority believe that the EU is an important partner (37% and 39% respectively). (CG/transl.fl)