The Eastern Partnership, established in May 2009 and based on the institutional structure and financial instruments of the European Neighbourhood Policy, has been largely developed in political terms. The EaP has led not only to the intensification of political contacts between the EU and six region countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine) but also to the acceleration of the negotiation process of new types of association agreements and DCFTAs as well as deals on visa issues. The inclusion of neighbours in the common area of free trade and internal market rules and standards, supported by increased mobility of people, would constitute the most effective means to stimulate economic growth and jobs and bind the region with the EU. However in order to make further progress in those fields the EU must think how to ensure proper implementation of DCFTAs in partner countries and how to obtain political consensus on visa liberalization process.
In terms of DCFTAs which require – apart from gradually applied market access concessions – the harmonisation of the partner countries’ trade-related legislation with the EU law, the negotiations are awaited to be finalized in 2013 with Moldova, Georgia and Armenia while these have already been completed with Ukraine. The conclusion of those agreements does not guarantee immediate EU success story. A risk occurs that individual countries will face the problem with their implementation even though the required EU law will be transposed into national legislation. The aim of the debate will be therefore to discuss the effectiveness of EU instruments envisaged in DCFTAs to help partners with the implementation process, the barriers on the side of neighbours in terms of meeting the obligations and the ways how to improve EU – EaP countries cooperation in this respect.
Meanwhile increased scope for travel and short-term labour mobility is – theoretically – in the interests of both the member states and the neighbours. As concerns EU member states it could increase the flexibility of labour markets without the need for long-term social integration and reduce the incidence of irregular immigration. For the neighbours, mobility can bring remittances and brain gain. The debate will be focused on how to accrue these benefits, both in terms of selling mobility politically and achieving this objective in technical terms. The EU’s efforts towards visa liberalization and mobility partnerships in the Eastern Neighbourhood give rise to risks as regards unwanted immigration for the EU and brain drain for the neighbours.
Conference agenda
Time and Venue:
20 June 2013 (Thursday) 11:30-15:30
European Commission Representation in Poland
Jasna 14/16 Street, Warsaw
The meeting will be held in English
Those wishing to attend are kindly requested to confirm by 19 June 2013
via online registration
Early registration is recommended due to the limited number of seats
The organiser reserves the right to close registration before the deadline
