10/10/2018 (Agence Europe) – In Luxembourg on Tuesday 9 October, the European ministers for the environment and their counterparts from the six countries of the Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) agreed to step up their cooperation in the field of the environment, climate and circular economy. These subjects will take pride of place on the political and economic agenda of the two parties, according to a joint declaration adopted at this second ministerial meeting of its kind (see EUROPE 11648). The EU's support for the countries of the Eastern Partnership will continue by means of the new programmes 'EU4Environment' (€19.5 million), which is based around the preservation of nature and improving the environmental well-being of the populations, and 'EU4Climate' (€8 million), aiming to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement and improve climate policy and legislation. (AN)