EU cooperation for a successful

Eastern Partnership
Development
and Cooperation
I What is the Eastern
Partnership?
The Eastern Partnership is an EU policy aimed at
bringing our Eastern neighbours closer to the European
Union. The instruments of the Eastern Partnership
are used to help the participating countries with their
transformation. The EUs support for democratic
and economic reforms in the neighbourhood helps to
strengthen stability and prosperity which brings direct
benefts to the citizens both in these countries and in the
EU. This support goes not only to the reform efforts of
the governments but is also designed to increase the role
of the civil society which has an important part in the
transformation.
Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Policy tefan Fle
Iollowing he EL`s enlargemen in 2uu4 and 2uu7, a
deeper relaionship is being buil beween he EL and he
counries on is Easern and Souhern borders hrough
he European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The policy
seels o build and consolidae healhy democracies,
pursue susainable economic growh and manage cross-
border linls. I aims a addressing several challenges
faced in he neighbourhood, including proraced
conics, povery and social inequaliies. I also provides
a frameworl o address cross-border problems such as
rafhcling, irregular migraion or polluion.
To suppor he implemenaion of he Neighbourhood
Policy and hnance cooperaion programmes wih he
concerned counries, a specihc hnancial insrumen has
been esablished, he European Neighbourhood and
Parnership Insrumen (ENPI).
In his overall frameworl, he Easern Parnership
(EaP) was launched in Prague in 2uu9 as he Easern
dimension of he European Neighbourhood Policy. I
covers the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of
Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus, Georgia,
the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The
Parnership`s main objecive is o accelerae poliical
associaion and furher economic inegraion beween
he EL and is Easern Neighbours and for ha, o
suppor heir poliical and socio-economic reforms.
The Prague summi also agreed o suppor mobiliy of
ciizens and visa liberalisaion as a long erm goal for
individual parner counries, provided ha condiions
for well-managed and secure mobiliy are in place.
A he second Easern Parnership Summi held in
Warsaw in Sepember 2u11, he paricipans re-
afhrmed heir commimen o he guiding principles of
he Easern Parnership.
To achieve he ambiious goals of he Easern Parnership
wo parallel pahs are followed: a bilateral one, o
srenghen he already well esablished relaions wih
each of he parner counries and a multilateral one,
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o address challenges which are common o all parners.
The deepening of he bilaeral and mulilaeral
relaions is suppored by comprehensive cooperaion
programmes. Wih he esablishmen of he Easern
Parnership, he already imporan cooperaion
budge for EL Easern parners has been increased
by ELR 35u million for he period 2u1u-2u13. This
brings he hnancial resources made available for he
implemenaion of he Neighbourhood Policy in he
EL`s Easern parners o abou ELR 1.9 billion.
II The bilateral path
Deepening he bilaeral relaions beween he EL and
each Easern parner will be formalised hrough he
negoiaion and conclusion of Associaion Agreemens
currenly he closes conracual ie ha exiss beween
he EL and a hird counry.
Cradual economic inegraion will be formalised, as
and when he parner counry will be ready, hrough a
"Deep and Comprehensive Iree Trade Area (DCITA),
graning i enhanced access o he European marle
and providing he ools o modernise and maximise he
benehs of ha access.
Boh he Associaion Agreemen and he DCITA, as
an inegral par of he Associaion Agreemen, presen
a srong incenive owards reforms bu also a huge
challenge for each parner counry which has o adop
and fully apply a broad range of EL sandards and
regulaions, including in highly echnical helds such as
ranspor, environmen and axaion. This will necessarily
be a long-erm endeavour.
Large assisance programmes have been developed
over he las years o suppor he reform process,
democraisaion as well as economic and social
developmen. These programmes, which conribue o he
deepening of he bilaeral relaions beween he EL and
is Easern parners, are based on he prioriies idenihed
joinly wih he parner counry in he frameworl of a
muliannual "Naional Indicaive Programme.
In addiion, wo new iniiaives have been launched
in he frameworl of he Easern Parnership: he
Comprehensive Institution Building Programmes o suppor
parner counries insiuional reforms (ELR 173
million over he period 2u11-2u13) and Pilot Regional
Development Programmes o address regional economic
and social dispariies wihin he Easern Parnership
counries (61 million Euros for 2u11-2u13).
Civen he poliical siuaion in he counry, Belarus has
currenly no access o hese new iniiaives.
2.1 Bilateral cooperation programmes
with Eastern partner countries
Bilaeral cooperaion covers a large range of aciviies
which can be broadly grouped under he following
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mulifuncional VET Cenres. They have been renovaed
and have received relevan equipmen in order o
srenghen he linls beween labour marle and
employmen sraegies. Iurhermore, he direcors and
eachers of VET colleges were rained in a new eaching
and managemen mehodology. Building upon hese
achievemens, he EL is providing furher budge suppor
(ELR 15 million from 2u11 onwards) for coninued VET
reforms and developmen of an employmen sraegy.
Assistance to the Milli Mejlis (Parliament) of the
Republic of Azerbaijan (twinning operation)
Twinning is a join implemenaion ool of cooperaion
beween public adminisraions of an EL Member
Sae and a benehciary counry. I aims a helping
benehciary counries o develop modern and efhcien
adminisraions. Insiuional winning programmes
will always consis of sending o he benehciary
counry a leas one residen adviser and a number of
medium and shor-erm missions, all o be carried ou
by public ofhcials of he EL Member Sae insiuion.
The EL currenly funds 1u insiuional winning
operaions wih differen Azerbaijani adminisraions,
including in he areas of saisics, food securiy,
suppor o Parliamen, energy and ani-corrupion,
among ohers. Ior example, a winning operaion
was launched in Sepember 2uu9 (budge: ELR 95u
uuu) bringing ogeher he Milli Mejlis (Parliamen)
of he Republic of Azerbaijan and is win parner
he Ofhce of he Seimas (Parliamen) of he Republic
of Lihuania. The operaion aims a supporing he
process of aligning he Azerbaijani legislaion more
wih European Lnion norms and sandards (wha
is called EL law "approximaion) and a he same
hree main dimensions: good governance, rule of law
and fundamenal freedoms, susainable economic and
social developmen, rade and invesmen.
Bilaeral hnancial envelopes are signihcan, amouning
up o ELR 596 million for Llraine, he larges counry,
for he period 2u1u-2u13. Armenia will beneh from
ELR 1S5 million, Azerbaijan ELR 129 million, Belarus
ELR Su million, Ceorgia ELR 217 million, and
Moldova ELR 339 million for he same period. These
oal amouns include he amoun foreseen for CIB and
PRDP programmes.
A few examples of recen or ongoing bilaeral
programmes are presened below.
Supporting vocational education and training
in the Republic of Armenia (Budget support
operation)
The EL is supporing he Armenian governmen in is
effors o reduce he high unemploymen raes and boos
job creaion. A large programme has been iniiaed in
2uuS funded under he European Neighbourhood and
Parnership Insrumen (ENPI) wih he aim o increase
he qualiy of vocaional educaion and raining (VET), so
ha i becomes more relevan o he needs of he labour
marle. The newly esablished Naional VET Council
mainly provides sraegic guidance while is operaional
arm, he Naional Cenre for VET Developmen, follows
up he reform in relaion o curricula, sandards and
eachers raining. In addiion a parial reorganisaion of he
VET deparmen was carried ou and newly esablished
college managemen boards were inroduced.
Irom he already exising S1 colleges in he Republic
of Armenia 12 were seleced o become regional
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ime raising awareness abou EL insiuions, policies,
laws and law-maling processes among boh Milli
Mejlis personal and he civil sociey. Wih he suppor
of he winning parner, a eam of 5 lawyers was
esablished in he Apparaus of Milli Mejlis o worl on
EL law "approximaion. A new Consiuional law
on "Normaive Legal Acs has also been prepared
and a virual European Lnion Informaion Cenre,
accessible from he Milli Mejlis websie, has been
launched.
High Level Policy Advice to the Republic of
Moldova
The European Lnion High Level Policy Advice
Mission (ELHLPAM) was esablished o provide
high-level EL expers wih hand-on experience of
EL legislaion and sandards. The Mission has made
a subsanial conribuion o he furherance of he
Covernmen`s reform agenda European Integration:
Freedom, Democracy, Welfare (2009-2013) and o he
negoiaion of he Associaion Agreemen.
Broad agreemen has been reached on Poliical
Dialogue and Reform, Cooperaion in he held of
Ioreign and Securiy Policy and ]usice, Libery and
Securiy. Subsanial progress has also been made wih
respec o he inroducion of visa liberaion. A he
same ime he ELHLPAM mission has suppored
well he preparaory worl of he negoiaion of he
Deep and Comprehensive Iree Trade Area (DCITA),
noably hrough he advice provided o Minisries,
Cusoms Service and he Public Procuremen Agency.
Iurhermore EL expers have provided paricular
inpu o he elaboraion of a ]usice Secor reform
sraegy, a redehniion of he role of he Cenre for
Economic Crimes and Corrupion, he drafing of a
Road Map for police reform, and he preparaion of a
Migraion and Asylum sraegy.
Supporting environmental protection in the
Republic of Belarus
EL`s assisance o Belarus aims a supporing he
populaion and civil sociey organisaions in differen
areas including higher educaion, environmen, energy
and regional and susainable developmen. The
environmen is one of he hree ley dimensions of
susainable developmen (ogeher wih economic and
social developmen). Environmenal policies in line wih
inernaional sandards conribue o a beer healh and
qualiy of life of he populaion and are in he common
ineres of boh he EL and is parner counries.
Belarus has a number of bilaeral environmenal
projecs, providing insiuional suppor o he
Minisry of Naural Resources and Environmenal
Proecion and is bodies. The main areas are eco-
ourism (creaing addiional jobs and ourisic
araciveness of he counry), wase managemen and
proecion and improvemen of biodiversiy.
Since 2u11 he EL funds a projec (5 million Euros)
aiming a he developmen of a comprehensive
frameworl of inernaional environmenal
cooperaion in Belarus. Among he main aciviies
is he implemenaion of Belarus`s environmenal
policies as well as pilo projecs in he held of solid
wase managemen. Educaion and disseminaion
aciviies promoe awareness raising, capaciy building
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border guard expers from 19 EL Member Saes
and naional saff from he Republic of Moldova and
Llraine. Through is worl, he Mission is conribuing
o he peaceful selemen of he Transnisrian conic
in he Republic of Moldova.
2.2 Eastern Partnership Comprehensive
Institution Building Programme (CIB)
The process of insiuional reforms, required for
he negoiaion and implemenaion of Associaion
Agreemens, Deep and Comprehensive Iree Trade
Areas or visa liberalisaion regimes is suppored
specihcally hrough he Comprehensive Institution
Building programme.
Is objecive is o srenghen he capaciies of he
insiuions ha are insrumenal in preparing he
and developmen of grassroos iniiaives a local level.
Ior example an informaion campaign was launched
involving Belarusian ciizens, NCOs, schools,
universiies, businesses, as well as local and regional
auhoriies.
The EU Border Assistance Mission to the Republic
of Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM)
Borders are a vial ool in promoing a safe environmen
in which rade and people o people conacs can
ourish. The EL Border Assisance Mission o he
Republic of Moldova and Llraine (ELBAM) has
helped o achieve hose goals by supporing he wo
counries o harmonize and modernize heir border
managemen sandards and procedures in accordance
wih European sandards. I also aims o enhance he
professional capaciies of he Moldovan and Llrainian
cusoms and border guard services a operaional level,
maling a concree difference on he ground.
Since November 2uu7 he EL has provided funding
for he Mission under he European Neighbourhood
and Parnership Insrumen (ENPI). Addiionally,
19 EL Member Saes provide direc conribuions
by funding he secondmens of heir border and
cusoms professionals o he Mission. ELBAM has
is headquarers in Odessa and six held ofhces on
he Moldovan-Llrainian border and in Odessa Por.
The programme is being implemened by he EL
Delegaion in Kiev. All paries included agreed recenly
o exend he ELBAM mandae unil December 2u15.
Over 2uu ELBAM saff members worl on issues
affecing he 1 222lm-long Moldova-Llraine border.
This includes around one hundred cusoms and
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exible manner o he insiuions` changing needs.
They ouline he prioriies o be pursued o fully
upgrade he insiuion, he measures o be alen, he
inpu o be provided and he sources of suppor.
The EL will hen hnance par of he measures dehned
in he Insiuional Reform Plans. Oher donors, in
paricular EL Member Saes may also conribue o
he IRP implemenaion.
CIB state of play
CIB Irameworl Documens were signed by he EL
wih all hve paricipaing parner counries (Republic of
Armenia, Republic of Azerbaijan, Ceorgia, Republic of
Moldova, Llraine) in 2u11. Worl on he Insiuional
Reform Plans (IRPs) for he seleced insiuions is
almos hnalised. A few have already been adoped
and mos of he ohers should be formally adoped by
he end of 2u11. The developmen of IRPs has been
assised by he EL, which provided echnical assisance
o ha end.
In ]uly 2u11 he EL adoped a budge of ELR 43 million
for he 2u11 CIB programmes, which is progressively
made available as and when IRPs are hnalised.
CIB country example: supporting the Civil
Registry Agency in Georgia
The Civil Regisry Agency, a ley insiuion in he lives
of ciizens and residens of Ceorgia, has embarled upon
ambiious reforms aiming a a more accurae regisraion
process and ciizens` daabase, as well as more effecive
and reliable services o he populaion i serves.
negoiaions of and, furher along he road, he
implemenaion of Associaion Agreemens and Deep
and Comprehensive Iree Trade Agreemens. ELR 173
million has been dedicaed o he implemenaion of he
CIB over 2u11-2u13.
The CIB programme is divided in wo main phases:
In he hrs phase, a lis of insiuions o be srenghened
is joinly agreed o wih he parner governmen,
aling ino accoun he curren siuaion and needs
in he ligh of Associaion Agreemen negoiaions.
These insiuions and he ley challenges hey face are
se ou in a Framework Document.
In he second phase, he seleced insiuions draw
up Institutional Reform Plans (IPRs). These are
muli-annual documens designed o respond in a
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ELR 62 million are available for he period 2u12-2u13
for he implemenaion of PRDPs in he hve parner
counries concerned and he hrs concree acions will
be hnanced in 2u12.
III The multilateral path
3.1 Thematic platforms
Meeings a regional level he main innovaion of
he Easern Parnership aim a supporing reforms
hrough he exchange of bes pracice on subjecs of
common ineres, namely:
good governance,
economic inegraion and growh (including
environmen),
energy securiy and ranspor and
people o people conacs.
Iour plaforms covering hese hemes have been
se up. They serve as fora for open discussion and
include represenaives from governmen minisries
and agencies, parliamens, civil sociey, inernaional
organisaions, inernaional hnancial insiuions, he
privae secor as well as economic and social parners.
Plaforms have esablished exper panels in various areas
o guide he implemenaion of heir worl programmes.
These exper panels complemen he worl conduced
wih he EaP parners bilaerally. In he area of good
governance, he implemenaion of some aciviies is
suppored by he Council of Europe hrough a faciliy
ha has been esablished for ha purpose.
3.2 Flagship initiatives
Iive Flagship Initiatives have been launched a
The new Reform Plan 2u11-2u15 of he Civil Regisry
Agency esablished in he frameworl of he CIB
includes iniiaives aimed a developing a unihed and
accurae sysem for regisering addresses hroughou
Ceorgia, deploying infrasrucure for he inroducion
of muli-funcional e-ID cards, enhancing capaciies of
he Sae Commission for Coordinaion of Migraion
Issues, and inroducing an e-governance sysem for
he local self-governmens.
Ior he year 2u12, he EL will suppor hese reforms
hrough he CIB programme wih funding of abou 1.S
million Euros. These reforms will lead o he formaion
of an effecive elecoral process hrough he creaion of
a reliable and updaeable voers lis. They will also resul
in easier access o various public and privae services for
he populaion hrough applicaion of he e-ID cards.
2.3 Eastern Partnership Pilot Regional
Development Programmes (PRDPs)
Pilot Regional Development Programmes have
been proposed to help partner countries to address
important structural problems such as economic
and social disparities among regions and population
groups (often divided by historical, cultural,
ethnic and religious differences). Such disparities
represent a major obstacle to economic and social
development at the national level. The programmes
are inspired by the EU cohesion policy experience
and will help partner countries to develop or update
and implement regional development strategies
and programmes aimed at reducing disparities and
overcoming structural defciencies.
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and faciliaing mobiliy of people across non-EL
borders. I is also mean o help parners approximae
border managemen rules and adop bes pracices
in line wih EL border managemen sandards.
Exchange of bes pracices is aling place in he
frameworl of a dedicaed Panel on Inegraed Border
Managemen (IBM) esablished under he hemaic
Plaform on Democracy, Cood Covernance and
Sabiliy.
44 million Euros are dedicaed o suppor border
managemen issues in he frameworl of his Ilagship,
for he period of 2u1u-2u13.
A hrs projec, he IBM Ilagship Iniiaive Training
Projec wih a budge of ELR 2 million is ongoing,
focusing on raining and capaciy building of parner
counries` border auhoriies, on suppor o he
implemenaion of border managemen and acion
plans, documen inegriy and securiy, deecion of
drugs and smuggled producs, proecion of inellecual
propery righs.
Ior more informaion: hp://eap-h.eu
Concree suppor for seleced border crossing poins
a he borders beween Easern Parnership counries
is also considered in he frameworl of his Ilagship
Iniiaive. The hrs pilo programmes approved
concerned he Belarus-Llraine border ("Srenghening
Surveillance Capaciy on he "Creen and "Blue
Border beween he Republic of Belarus and Llraine
for an amoun of ELR 2.7 million) and border crossing
poins on he Ceorgia-Armenia border ("Enhancemen
of he border managemen capabiliies a he
Ninosminda-Bavra border crossing poin beween
Ceorgia and Armenia, for ELR 2.9 million). These
regional level o give subsance and focus o he
mulilaeral cooperaion under he Easern Parnership.
The Ilagship Iniiaives are implemened hrough
regional projecs in he frameworl of he Regional Eas
Programme for 2u1u-2u13. A series of oher regional
cooperaion projecs funded from previous years
are also ongoing, covering a broad range of secors,
from border managemen, o economic developmen,
energy, ranspor, environmenal proecion and social
and human dimension, which also conribue o he
objecives of he Ilagship Iniiaives and he mulilaeral
pah of he Easern Parnership.
Integrated Border Management Flagship Initiative
Cooperaion on border managemen in he Easern
Parnership counries is focused on improving
securiy, reducing smuggling and human rafhcling
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East-Invest is a regional invesmen and rade
enhancemen projec for he economic developmen of
he Easern Parnership region. I arges and provides
echnical assisance o business suppor organisaions
and SMEs from he six Easern Parnership counries
which have he poenial for developing muual
cooperaion and aracing EL invesmens.
In ]uly 2u11 around 4u represenaives of business
organisaions from he six Easern Parnership
counries paricipaed in a one weel Eas-Inves
Academy organised in Irpen, Llraine. The
purpose of he academy was o improve heir slills
and consequenly enhance heir organisaions`
responsiveness o oday`s fas changing economic
environmen.
Ior more informaion: www.eas-inves.eu
Turn Around Management and Business Advisory
Services - TAM-BAS
Lnder he TAM-BAS programme implemened by he
EBRD wih EL funding, up o 6uu small and medium-
sized enerprises receive ailored echnical assisance
aiming a supporing susainable developmen of he
SME secor in he six Easern Parnership counries
and building a compeiive infrasrucure of local
advisory services.
TAM (Turn Around Managemen): Easern
Parnership enerprises are advised by inernaional
expers over 24 monhs on how o male srucural
changes, inroduce new echnologies and develop new
slills a senior managemen level.
BAS (Business Advisory Services) is worling wih
projecs will provide experise, foser exchange of
experience and bes pracices and provide equipmen
and infrasrucure.
Support to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
(SMEs) Flagship Initiative
This Ilagship Iniiaive was se up o suppor he needs
of SMEs in he Easern Parnership counries and
provide exernal simulus o growh and employmen,
wih a oal budge of ELR 34 million. I aims o achieve
his by supporing exising and new iniiaives for he
improvemen of he business climae, improving and
exending he provision of advisory services o SMEs
and by esablishing an SME funding faciliy. Three EL
funded projecs are currenly running in suppor of his
agship:
1. East-Invest, an invesmen and rade faciliaion
projec, wih a oal budge of approximaely 9
million Euros.
2. Turn Around Management and Business
Advisory Services - TAM-BAS, a ailored
echnical assisance programme, implemened by he
European Banl for Reconsrucion and Developmen
(EBRD) and funded enirely by he EL wih a budge
of ELR 1u million.
3. SMEs Funding Facility Project, an envelope of
ELR 15 million provided by he EL as risl sharing
cushion o leverage loans for SMEs, from European
Iinancial Insiuions.
Oher programs, which are no par of his agship bu
are aiming a he developmen of SMEs and business
climae in general in he region, are suppored by he
European Commission as well.
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of Susainable Energy Acion Plans. Already over 3uuu
ciies have signed up o his commimen of which
more han 3u ciies are from he Easern Parnership
region. A branch ofhce of he Covenan of Mayors was
opened in he Easern Parnership region in 2u11.
Ior more informaion: hp://www.eumayors.eu/
index_en.hml
The Inernaional Conference on he Covenan of Mayors
organised by he Commission and hosed by Tbilisi (Ceorgia)
araced more han 15u paricipans from 45 ciies presened a
mayor and depuy mayor level.
Prevention, Preparedness and Response to natural
and man-made Disasters Flagship Initiative
(PPRD-East)
This Ilagship develops and reinforces he capaciy
of paricipaing counries for disaser prevenion,
preparedness and response a local, naional and
regional level, and promoes cooperaion wih he EL
and among Easern Parnership counries hemselves.
The hrs phase of he Ilagship, already under
implemenaion, wih a budge of ELR 6 million, will
local consulans, seleced and rained by EBRD
expers prior o he projec, who engage on shorer
projecs wih rapid paybacl, such as marle sudy,
business plans ec.
Ior more informaion: hp://www.ebrd.com/pages/
worlingwihus/ambas.shml
Regional Electricity Markets, Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy Sources Flagship Initiative
This agship has a focus on improving he inegraion
of he elecriciy ne and encouraging susainable energy
as ways o address securiy of energy supply.
Regional energy cooperaion in he counries of
he Easern Parnership is suppored hrough
he INOCATE programme. Energy securiy and
diversihcaion of supply canno be seen in isolaion
and he INOCATE programme also linls he
Easern Parnership region o Cenral Asia. In 2u11
he INOCATE programme includes approximaely
ELR 51 million of ongoing projecs in suppor of
regional energy marles and he Easern Parnership
Energy Ilagship in paricular (e.g. energy regulaion,
harmonisaion of sandards and legislaion, bu also
aciviies in suppor of renewable energy and energy
efhciency in he building secor).
Ior more informaion: www.inogae.org.
Covenant of Mayors
An imporan iniiaive under he Ilagship concerns
he Covenan of Mayors, a commimen of Mayors of
paricipaing counries o reduce he CO2 emission of
heir ciies by 2u% in 2u2u hrough he implemenaion
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regional level. ELR 1u million has been allocaed, wihin
he ENPI Eas regional envelope, o suppor his iniiaive.
3.3 A partnership with societies
The EL aaches grea imporance o he developmen
of a hriving civil sociey as i empowers ciizens o
express heir concerns, conribue o policy-maling and
hold governmens o accoun. The EL has developed
a series of iniiaives and programmes o suppor civil
sociey organisaions in Easern Parnership counries.
Civil Society
The Civil Society Forum was launched o promoe
civil sociey involvemen in he civil and social
dimension of he Easern Parnership. The Iorum
aims a promoing conacs among Civil Sociey
Organisaions (CSOs) and faciliaes heir dialogue
wih public auhoriies. Organisaions coming ogeher
review exising resources and available mechanisms
in Easern Parnership counries and prepare a
regional Risl Alas. Capaciy building, sudy visis and
exchanges of expers involved in disaser managemen,
as well as echnical assisance missions in response
o specihc demands by he counries` auhoriies will
also be deployed. Iurher aciviies include a full-
scale simulaion exercise and awareness-raising for
saleholders and he general populaion.
Addiionally ELR 5 million are foreseen for a second
phase o be launched in 2u13.
Environmental Governance Flagship Initiative
The Easern Parnership Ilagship Iniiaive on
Environmenal Covernance is aimed a promoing
environmen proecion and climae change adapaion
by srenghening environmenal governance in he
parner counries. Iour ENPI regional projecs are
ongoing and conribue o he Ilagship Iniiaive (Wase
Covernance, Shared Environmenal Informaion
Sysem - SEIS, Air Qualiy Covernance and Iores
Law Enforcemen and Covernance, wih a budge of
ELR 22 million). In addiion, ELR 13 millions are
allocaed for he proecion of freshwaer and marine
environmens in he wider Blacl Sea region.
Iurher climae change projecs will sar in 2u12 wih a
budge of ELR 1S million, o ensure a follow-up o he
ongoing "Suppor o Kyoo Proocol Implemenaion.
In parallel, a sudy was conduced o idenify he obsacles
in applying green economy principles in he parner
counries, analyse he srenghs and wealnesses of each
of he counries and recommend acions a naional and
12
in implemening and evaluaing EL programmes. ELR
14 million has been made available under he Iaciliy
in 2u11 for Easern parners` civil sociey organisaions.
Education
The EL is also supporing educaion and in paricular
higher educaion in Easern Parnership counries
o conribue o developing he capaciies of boh
individuals and insiuions.
The Tempus programme suppors he modernisaion
of higher educaion in parner counries, wih a focus
on insiuional cooperaion. The Easern Parnership
counries joined he programme in he 199us and a
oal budge of ELR 136 million was aribued o his
region (1993-2u11) o hnance more han 25u join
projecs and 5u srucural measures and some hundreds
of individual mobiliy grans.
The Erasmus Mundus programme suppors he
mobiliy of individual sudens and saff from parner
counries o he EL and, o a lesser exen, from he
EL o parner counries. To dae he programme has
funded hireen parnerships of universiies from he
EL and Easern Parnership counries o manage
mobiliy schemes, for a budge of ELR 55 million,
providing for 2 3uu scholarships for sudens and saff
from he region o sudy in Europe.
Ior 2u12-2u13, signihcan exra funding will be allocaed
o boh Erasmus Mundus and Tempus in order o furher
suppor educaion in Easern Parnership counries.

Iinally, he eTwinning programme, which allows
eachers and pupils from paricipaing counries o
in he Iorum provide inpu o he worl of miniserial
meeings and of he mulilaeral hemaic plaforms.
The Iorum is srucured ino worling groups mirroring
he inergovernmenal Easern Parnership plaforms.
Naional Iorum Plaforms in parner counries ensure
he ownership of Iorum aciviies a counry level and
reec he local realiies of civil sociey organisaions.
The Iorum has already esablished iself as a dynamic
componen of he Easern Parnership, and paricipaes
acively in several hemaic plaforms.
Civil Society involvement is a condition sine qua
non for the success of our common endeavour, the
Eastern Partnership. This conviction stems from
a deep belief that Civil Society is a fundamental
part of the democratic process. Reforms, which are
necessary to complete the process of transition and
approximation to European standards, cannot be
implemented without the backing of the public.
Therefore I do hope that the Civil Society Forum
will prove to be instrumental in promoting Eastern
Partnership goals in societies and mobilising their
support for reforms.
tefan Fle, Commissioner for Enlargement and
European Neighbourhood Policy
Increasing engagemen wih civil sociey in he Easern
Parnership is also emphasised in he Communicaion
of "A new response o a changing Neighbourhood
of 25 May 2u11, which announces he seing up of a
Neighbourhood Civil Society Facility. The Iaciliy
aims a promoing civil sociey`s role in reforms and
democraic changes. I will hus suppor civil sociey
organisaions in building heir advocacy capaciy, heir
abiliy o monior reforms a naional level and heir role
13
improve "professionalizaion of he culure secor
in he region. I will conribue o exchange of
informaion, experience and bes pracices among
culural operaors a he regional level and wih he
European Lnion and suppor regional iniiaives
and parnerships which demonsrae posiive
culural conribuions o economic developmen,
social inclusion, conic resoluion and inerculural
dialogue. Over he period 2u11-2u14, ELR 12 million
will be devoed o his programme.
Youth
As regards youh, a regional Eastern Partnership
Youth Programme will be launched in 2u12 o suppor
and srenghen he response of he Easern Parnership
counries o he needs of youh in heir socieies, hrough
he promoion of regional cooperaion beween policy
insiuions, youh organisaions, youh worlers and young
people. The programme will provide a holisic coverage of
he youh sphere from capaciy-building in he policy
domain, o he suppor of pracical projecs involving
young people.
In addiion a new "Easern Parnership Window
will be esablished under he EL Youh in Acion
programme. Lnder his "window, young people and
youh organisaions from he Easern Parnership
counries will be given, for he hrs ime, he opporuniy
o direcly apply for EL funding o ale par in Youh
Exchanges, he European Volunary Service and
raining and neworling acions. Prioriy will be given
o projecs ha suppor disadvanaged young people
living in rural or deprived urban areas.
hnd parner schools, eam up in groups, and engage in
online-based projecs, will also be parially exended o
he Easern Parnership counries from 2u12 onwards.
Culture
The Easern Parnership recognises culural cooperaion
and iner-culural dialogue as an inegral par of exernal
policies and has underlined he imporance of culural
cooperaion in addressing poliical processes and
challenges. A specihc Eastern Partnership Culture
Programme has been esablished o srenghen he
capaciy of he culural secor in he region and enhance
he role of culure as a force for reform, promoion of
olerance, and social cohesion.
More precisely, he programme will suppor and
promoe culural policy reforms a he governmenal
level, build capaciies of culural organisaions and
14
EL and Easern Parnership counries
15
For more information:
ENPI Info Cenre: http://www.enpi-info.eu/
DC Developmen and Cooperaion EuropeAid:
hp://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.hm

European Exernal Acion Service (EEAS): http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/index_en.htm
European Union, 2012
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
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ISBN 978-92-79-22511-6
doi:10.2841/34020