The Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership (November 24-25) summit reconfirmed participants’ commitment to partnership and included some statements on freedom of movement and development of people-to-people contacts.
EWB presents main extracts from the Declaration relating to mobility issues.
EU’ s role in resolution of conflicts in the region welcomed
Quote: The Summit participants welcome efforts and the EU’s strengthened role in conflict resolution and confidence building in the framework or in support of existing agreed negotiating formats and processes, including through field presence, when appropriate
EU’s support of reforms in good governance, security sector, border management etc. is needed
Quote: The Summit participants stress that good governance at all levels is key to people’s confidence in their governments (….) Cooperation and EU support in security sector reform, implementation of integrated border management, disrupting organised crime, human trafficking and smuggling, addressing irregular migration, tackling hybrid threats, countering terrorism and violent extremism, including through inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, preventing radicalisation, enhancing cybersecurity and fighting cybercrime, strengthening disaster prevention, response and crisis management will improve partner countries’ ability to withstand the pressures they face.
Call to concluding the Common Aviation Area Agreement with Ukraine
Quote: Building upon the positive impact of Common Aviation Area Agreements with Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, the Summit participants recall the importance of concluding the Common Aviation Area Agreement with Ukraine at the earliest possible date, as well as express support for a swift completion of negotiations of such agreements with Armenia and Azerbaijan
See also: Policy brief: Prospects of Ukraine’s Accession to the European Common Aviation Area
Visa liberalization with Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine welcomed. Armenia is awaited
Quote: The Summit participants welcome the effective implementation of the visa free regimes for the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. They look forward to strengthen cooperation and further progress in the area of mobility, in a secure and well-managed environment and to consider in due course the opening of visa liberalization dialogue with Armenia, provided that conditions for well managed and secure mobility are in place, including the effective implementation of visa facilitation and readmission agreements between the Parties.
Also Annex to Declaration (20 Deliverables for 2020) contains some other strategic goals for EaP participants:
- Monitoring of the continuous fulfilment of the visa liberalisation benchmarks by Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine
- Opening of a Visa Liberalisation Dialogue with Armenia and Azerbaijan, provided that conditions for a well-managed and secure mobility are in place, including the effective implementation of Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements between the Parties
- Concluding of the Visa Facilitation Agreement and Readmission Agreement with Belarus
