The Eastern Partnership is expected to focus on recovery, resilience and reform for its post-2020 priorities, based on the two pillars of governance and investment.
The draft annex to the 15 December Summit Declaration, dated 23 November, on ‘Post 2020 Eastern Partnership Priorities’, obtained by EUROPE, firstly highlights the ‘governance’ pillar, which promotes the development of accountable institutions, the rule of law and security - reform of the judiciary and public administration, the fight against corruption and organised crime, etc. “The promotion of the peaceful resolution of unresolved conflicts, conflict prevention and confidence-building and reconciliation efforts will be supported,” the document adds.
Another focus is on “resilient, gender-equal, just and inclusive” societies, with the promotion of “pluralistic, inclusive, participatory and representative democracy”, an enabling environment favourable for civil society and independent media, the protection of “universal, indivisible and interdependent” human rights and the strengthening of health resilience.
According to the document, “the implementation of agreements on visa facilitation or liberalisation, as well as readmission (...) will be ensured, particularly by considering new dialogues on visa liberalisation where possible”.
Finally, according to the EU and its partners, “enhanced campaigns will improve the coherence of the EU brand in the local context at all levels and support will be given to partner countries' strategic communication capacities, helping them to fight disinformation in particular”. The Eastern Partnership also promises to deepen exchanges at all levels.
The investment pillar will be “underpinned by an economic and investment plan for the region comprising a series of flagship initiatives for each of the partner countries, and will support post-pandemic recovery”.
The aim is to develop “resilient, sustainable and integrated” economies, i.e. “to trigger the much-needed socio-economic recovery post-Covid-19 and, at the same time, to ensure the dual green and digital transition”. The EU and partners call for the implementation of deep and comprehensive free trade areas (DCFTAs) and other trade agreements to be accelerated and for the deepening of economic integration with and between partner countries, “with a view to developing sustainable supply chains”.
According to the annex, the focus will be on improving access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the provision of €1 billion of financing and support for 500,000 SMEs, to which will be added €500 million of equity investment to help SMEs, strengthen the start-up ecosystem, support economic development, promote women’s entrepreneurship, create quality jobs and pursue the green and digital transitions.
“Sustainable, rules-based and secure transport interconnectivity will be strengthened through investments to upgrade 3,000 km of priority roads and railways along the extended TEN-T network, with the aim of completing it by 2030”, the document adds.
Another objective is to transform the Eastern Partnership region into equitable and prosperous societies with modern, resource-efficient, climate-neutral, circular and competitive economies, while increasing their environmental and climate resilience. Climate policies and green investments will therefore be strengthened and environmental governance improved “with a view to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and intensifying adaptation to climate change”. Both sides also want to strengthen energy security.
Finally, the EU and partners call for a “substantial” reduction in retail prices for international roaming: “The implementation of roaming and spectrum agreements among partner countries and, where appropriate, with the EU, will be supported”. Similarly, they are committed to a significant increase in cross-border e-commerce with the EU and fostering cyber resilience and cyber security. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)