Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum stands in full solidarity with #Ukraine and its people. 👇

This morning the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum hosted a discussion on how to support Georgia’s civil society and independent media in these difficult times. In the face of mounting pressures, Georgian CSOs and civil activists continue to stand for democracy, fundamental freedoms, and European values. At the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, we have been actively supporting Georgian civil society—facilitating knowledge exchanges, conducting needs assessments, and advocating for stronger international support. But the challenges persist, and more action is needed. We call on the Georgian authorities to: 🔹 End the systematic crackdown on civil society and independent media. 🔹 Conduct free and fair elections to resolve the ongoing crisis. 🔹 Repeal laws that restrict civil and political rights. 🔹 Release unjustly detained protesters. And we urge the EU and its Member States to: 🔹 Apply sanctions on those responsible for Georgia’s democratic backsliding. 🔹 Provide stronger political and financial support to civil society and media. 🔹 Engage directly with civil society, rather than government representatives, at high-level meetings. The road ahead is challenging, but solidarity matters. Thanks a lot to our co-organisers Laure Delcour at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, and Aron Buzogany, from BOKU University, Vienna, and to all who participated today. In particular, thank you to the speakers Hubert Duhot (DG ENEST), Julien Bourtembourg (EEAS), Kornely Kakachia, GIP, and Tamara Nutsubidze Euroscope Georgia for their insightful contributions and to our Anastasia Murzanovska for excellent moderation. Together, we must continue standing with Georgia’s civil society. #Georgia #CivilSociety #MediaFreedom #Democracy #StandWithGeorgia

Towards a new, European chapter in Armenia's history!   Wednesday, the Armenian National Assembly adopted the law launching the Republic of Armenia’s accession process to the European Union. We welcome this move which reiterates Armenia’s foreign policy direction and opens the path toward a lasting peace, development, and security within a European framework.   This declaration is far more than symbolic. It carries profound political, legal, and societal significance. It lays the foundation for a new chapter in Armenia’s modern history, anchored in the principles of democracy, human rights, good governance, and the rule of law.   Armenian #civilsociety has been a steadfast advocate for European integration. The Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum has consistently supported reforms aligned with EU standards, promoted participatory democracy, and contributed to the strengthening of public institutions. Civil society must be recognised as a strategic partner in both Armenia’ decision-making and Armenia’s bilateral relations with the EU.   Commending the Armenian government's efforts, we now call on them to:   🔴 Develop a comprehensive national strategy for EU accession 🔵 Resolve institutional and legal inconsistencies that could hinder the start of the EU integration process, most notably by formally expressing Armenia’s intention to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union 🟡 Establish a dedicated Minister position tasked with leading and coordinating the EU accession agenda   We also call on the European Union to intensify the political dialogue with the Armenian government, facilitate further EU integration and provide staunch political support to peace efforts.   Read our full statement: https://lnkd.in/e3v8rVYk

Yesterday I had the pleasure to speak about the future of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) during a thought-provoking round table discussion organised by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Europe and The Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM). While the EaP has been questioned in recent years, its value remains undeniable: it has played a crucial role in putting Ukraine, Moldova and also Georgia on the EU enlargement track, it anchored Belarus and Azerbaijan and crucially their people to the EU and has been a springboard for further EU integration for Armenia. Now, instead of continuing debating its relevance, we must focus on actionable steps to enhance its impact. Key Takeaways: ✅ Readjust, not reinvent: The EaP doesn’t need a radical overhaul, but adjustments are necessary to maintain effectiveness and complementarity to the EU enlargement agenda. This include doubling down investments on rule of law and fundamentals and leveraging the potential of the multilateral cooperation. ✅ Strengthen engagement with Belarus: The EaP has managed to keep Belarus connected to the EU for 15 years. We must step up support for Belarusian democratic forces and civil society to sustain their resilience. ✅ Demand accountability in Azerbaijan: The EU’s cooperation with Azerbaijan—especially in energy—should be tied to concrete human rights commitments. EU leaders should engage with civil society, independent media and political prisoners and their families. ✅ Leverage the multilateral track: security - particularly FIMI and human security - governance, and civil society resilience should be key area of focus to enhance regional stability and promote best practices. ✅ Civil society as a driving force: Strengthening independent organisations, fostering resilience, and ensuring their involvement in policy making is essential to safeguard democracy. This is as crucial as ever in light of the USAID freeze and generally contracting donor landscape. 🛠️ What’s next? The work leading to next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is going to be crucial to align funding with these priorities. EU leadership and commitment to civil society will define the path forward. Let’s ensure the EaP remains a strong and meaningful bridge between the EU and its partners. #EasternPartnership #EUIntegration #CivilSociety

Yesterday, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum participated in the EaP Senior Officials Meeting to discuss how to advance cooperation under the Eastern Partnership policy. On this occasion, EaP CSF Co-Chair Gurgen Petrosyan presented the EaP CSF recommendations on the Eastern Partnership policy, its multilateral track and the role of civil society.   The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum remains convinced of the need and further potential of the EaP policy and strongly supports initiatives to provide impetus to a revised EaP policy post-2025. We particularly called for the following: ❶ Fundamentals first: the promotion of the so-called ‘fundamentals’ should be promoted in all the EaP countries, regardless of their level of engagement with the EU. ❷ Security: prioritise the overall security of the Eastern Partnership region and include a human security approach in the EaP policy that can directly contribute to democratisation. In a context where hybrid threats are on the rise, the EaP fosters stability and security in the region and promotes Common Foreign and Security Policy alignment. ❸ Support civil society: Trust and support civil society's involvement in policy-making through consultations at all levels. Set up a Working Group on Civic Space to address questions on civil society’s participation in decision making, regulatory environment, legal frameworks and access to funding, for a thriving civic space. Civil society organisations has been severely impacted by the USAID funding freeze which is having detrimental impacts on the vibrancy of civil society in the region. ❹ Create synergies with the Black Sea region. Such as on economic security, energy security, transportation, and data connectivity. A strategic and a more active engagement with civil society from the Black Sea region can contribute to strengthen the resilience of EaP societies. ❺ Support independent media and strengthen media literacy. In a context where electoral campaigns ahead of last October's elections in Moldova and Georgia were marked by active disinformation campaigns, civil society plays an active role empowering citizens to assess the information they encounter online, identify sources they can trust, and make well-informed decisions. Read the full speech on our website → https://lnkd.in/ecM9S8kF

For over a year now, Georgian #civilsociety and independent media organisations have been facing and protesting against increasing pressure from the ruling Georgian Dream party. As a result of the ruling party’s actions, Georgia’s EU accession process has been frozen for the foreseeable future. Georgian Dream officials are increasingly hostile towards Georgia's western partners, including the European Union. On 1 April, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum invites you for a discussion on #Georgia’s current fight for civil society and independent media. This event is organised as part of the INTEND research project led by ANR (Agence nationale de la recherche), Austrian Science Fund FWF, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle and Universität für Bodenkultur Wien. Details and registration ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/esG-DhT4

Ukraine’s future lies in the EU. Yesterday, the European Parliament took another strong stand on #Ukraine and called on the EU to contribute to robust security guarantees. The 442 MEPs who voted in favour : 🔵 Reaffirmed their commitment to supporting a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. For MEPs, the European Union and its Member States must contribute to robust security guarantees to deter further Russian aggression. To do this, a substantial increase and acceleration of military support and training is needed. The effectiveness and impact of sanctions should also be reviewed to undermine Russia's ability to threaten security in Ukraine and Europe. Finally, the establishment of a "coalition of the able and willing" with like-minded partners should be encouraged to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia. 🟡 Welcomed progress on EU accession-related reforms despite wartime conditions. MEPs called for the acceleration of accession negotiations, recognising Ukraine’s EU integration as a strategic priority. The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum welcomes the adoption of this resolution which stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and shows its support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The latest developments in US-Ukraine relations are the final wakeup call for the EU to step in. The European Union remains Ukraine’s leading partner and should actively and jointly work to maintain its support for Ukraine.

Tomorrow, the European Parliament will vote several motions for a resolution on continuing support to #Ukraine. We call on MEPs to support two key measures: 🔵 Open all chapters of the EU accession negotiation in 2025. While unheard of in the EU accession process, letting Ukraine into the EU is a security guarantee. This process should therefore be sped up as a security measure to prevent another Russian attack on Ukraine. 🟡 Support the establishment of a European peacekeeping mission, based on the contribution of willing countries, to guarantee Ukraine's security following a ceasefire and prevent any retaliatory measures from Russia.

For over a year now, Georgian #civilsociety and independent media organisations have been facing and protesting against increasing pressure from the ruling Georgian Dream party. As a result of the ruling party’s actions, Georgia’s EU accession process has been frozen for the foreseeable future. Georgian Dream officials are increasingly hostile towards Georgia's western partners, including the European Union. On 1 April, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum invites you for a discussion on #Georgia’s current fight for civil society and independent media. This event is organised as part of the INTEND research project led by ANR (Agence nationale de la recherche), Austrian Science Fund FWF, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle and Universität für Bodenkultur Wien. Details and registration ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/esG-DhT4