Launched in 2009, the Eastern Partnership (EaP) has been instrumental in bringing interested partner countries closer to the EU. Our cooperation is based on shared fundamental values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights.

To-date, the Eastern Partnership continues to deliver many visible and tangible benefits to the people of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as to the EU. It has set Ukraine and Moldova on their European paths and guides relations and regional cooperation with partner countries.

The EaP provides a unique format of cooperation that strengthens links between governments, regions, civil society, businesses, universities and people.

Through its Economic and Investment Plan and the Global Gateway, the EaP has boosted economic development, facilitated trade, strengthened connectivity and economic integration. It has promoted democratic values, provided support to civil society and enhanced people-to-people contacts through cultural exchange and mobility programmes. In the current complex geopolitical situation, the EaP’s flexible and tailored format of cooperation remains a vital tool for strengthening the resilience of partner countries. 

The Eastern Partnership was developed as the Eastern dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy, combining bilateral and multilateral tracks of engagement. The EaP is a joint initiative involving the EU, its Member States and five Eastern European Partner countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Belarus suspended its participation in 2021, following the drastic deterioration of the overall human rights, democracy and rule of law situation in Belarus in the run up, conduct and aftermath of the August 2020 elections. Cooperation continues with key non-state Belarusian stakeholders, including civil society organisations and the democratic forces for a democratic Belarus.

Launched in 2009, the EaP is a strategic and ambitious partnership based on common values, 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, as well as support sustainable reform processes in countries of Eastern Partnership.

Based on the principles of conditionality and incentive-based approach, it has successfully complemented the bilateral engagement and reinforced the speed of the implementation of reforms with deeper sectoral cooperation and exchange between the partner countries in key areas such as the rule of law, the fight against corruption, economic development, people-to-people contacts and connectivity.

The Eastern Partnership contributes to the overall goal of building resilience through developing tailored partnerships with the EU’s neighbours in coordination and synergy with other strategies and frameworks, such as the Global Gateway, the Strategic Compass, the European Union Maritime Security Strategy, the new strategic approach to the Black Sea and the EU-Central Asia Strategy. 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 is fully aligned with the EU’s Strategic Agenda 2024-2029. 

Over the years, the EaP has been instrumental in bringing the EU and interested partner countries closer together and continues to deliver many visible and tangible benefits to the people of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as to the EU. It has set Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia (should the country revert to the EU path and adopt democratic, comprehensible and sustainable reforms) on their European paths and political and economic bilateral agreements now guide relations and cooperation with most partner countries.

The unique format of cooperation at regional level strengthens links between governments, regions, civil society, businesses, universities and ordinary people. These include representatives of national governments, national parliaments through EURONEST, local and regional public authorities through CORLEAP, Council of Europe, International Financial Institutions, OSCE, civil society organisations through the EaP Civil Society Forum, the Young European Ambassadors and business representatives.

At regional level, the Fifth EaP Summit in November 2017 marked the adoption of a common reform agenda titled 20 deliverables for 2020. During the EaP’s 10th anniversary in 2019, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Commission were tasked by the European Council to develop a new set of long term policy objectives beyond 2020. This led to a structured consultation and consultations in each of the partner countries and EU Member States.

On this basis, the Joint Communication ‘Reinforcing Resilience - an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all’ and a renewed agenda for the Eastern Partnership focusing on recovery, resilience and reform were developed. These were endorsed at the 6th EaP Summit in December 2021, where the European Union and EU Eastern Partner countries reaffirmed their strong partnership, unity and solidarity. Together they agreed on an Eastern Partnership Joint Declaration, which sets out the measures that aim to strengthen resilience, foster sustainable development and deliver tangible results for society, supported by an Economic and Investment Plan.

As of 1 January 2025, a total amount of €14.5 billion has been mobilised through bilateral and regional grants, blending operations and guarantees. Funds mobilised provide support for public and private investments in the field of transport and energy, access to finance for micro, small and medium businesses, environmental resilience, the digital transformation, health and human capital.

The EaP Foreign Affairs Ministerial meetings in December 2022 and December 2023, reaffirmed the value of the EaP with its agenda of ‘recovery, resilience and reform’. They called for further flexibility and tailoring to the needs of partners, as well as wider cooperation beyond its geographic scope with the Western Balkans, Central Asia and other countries of the Black Sea region.