A year ago, the second Eastern Partnership Summit set out conditions for accelerated political ties and deep economic integration between the EU and its Eastern neighboring countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The EU reaffirmed its policy that the intensity of cooperation will be determined by the pace of reforms: The more a partner country makes progress, the more support it will receive from the EU. To guide partners in their transition towards deep and sustainable democracy and a market-oriented economy, the EU developed the Eastern Partnership Roadmap.
Halfway to the next Summit due to take place in autumn 2013, it is time to take stock of progress, review successes and obstacles to reforms. Are the goals of the EU and its partners aligned? Are partner countries pursuing sustained reform agendas and have they come closer to the EU? How does the EU’s “more for more” approach translate into practice?
The debate will bring together EU officials and regional experts to discuss the state of play and the prospect for future reforms and integration. Gunnar Wiegand, EEAS Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE, will assess progress towards achieving the objectives of the Partnership and the EU’s efforts towards building deep and sustainable democracies. A follow-up debate with regional experts and Richard Tibbels, head of the EEAS Eastern Partnership division, will feature views from the partner countries and discuss best ways to overcome resistance and encourage reforms. The experts’ assessment is reflected in the 2012 European Integration Index, which tracks the progress of six Eastern Partnership countries towards integration with the EU on an annual basis.
Agenda
9:15–10:15 a.m.: The Eastern Partnership Roadmap towards deep and sustainable democracies
- Speaker: Gunnar Wiegand, Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE, European External Action Service (EEAS)
- Discussant: Olga Shumylo-Tapiola, Visiting Scholar, Carnegie Europe
- Moderator: Heather Grabbe, Director, Open Society Institute–Brussels
- Q&A
10:15–10:30 a.m.: Coffee break
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Views from Eastern Europe: bumpy road of integration
- Discussants: Armenia: Boris Navasardian, Yerevan Press Club; Azerbaijan: Leila Alieva, Centre for National and International Studies (CNIS); Belarus: Dzianis Melyantsou, Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies (BISS); Georgia: Vano Chkhikvadze, Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF); Moldova: Leonid Litra, Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” (IDIS); Ukraine: Iryna Solonenko, European Integration Index; EU: Richard Tibbels, Eastern Partnership Division, EEAS
- Moderator: Viorel Ursu, Open Society Institute–Brussels
- Q&A
12:30 p.m.: Sandwich lunch