Derde top Oostelijk Partnerschap begint eind deze week (en)

European Commission

Press release

Brussels, 26 November 2013

Third Eastern Partnership summit

Vilnius 28-29 November 2013

The third Eastern Partnership summit will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania on 28-29 November 2013. It will bring together heads of state or government from the 28 EU member states with those of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The summit will be chaired by the President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy who, together with the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, will represent the European Union. The summit will be hosted by the President of Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaite. The six partner countries will be represented by the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Georgi Margvelashvili of Georgia, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca and Vladimir Makei, Foreign Minister of Belarus.

The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission Catherine Ashton, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle and Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht will also attend the summit.

President Van Rompuy said: “Our objective is to work together with our partners in the region to build - step by step - a democratic, prosperous and stable neighbourhood based on the rule of law. Vilnius will mark the end of the first decade of the Union's neighbourhood policy and the first four years since the launch of the Eastern Partnership in Prague in 2009. We continue to work on the ambitious Association Agreements including Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas with partners meeting the benchmarks and steps towards facilitating and liberalising travelling between the Union and the region.".

President Barroso said: "The Eastern Partnership is delivering change and a new perspective to citizens in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine; And it is part of a much bigger transformation taking place on the European Union's borders. In the last few years the European Union became the biggest trading partner and source of investments, a political presence and a reliable partner to most of our Eastern neighbours. Ultimately Europe and the Eastern partners can only flourish as an integrated continent without dividing lines".

At the summit the EU will also sign a framework agreement with Georgia on participation in EU Crisis management operations.

For more information:

FACTSHEET Eastern Partnership summit Vilnius, 28-29 November 2013 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-1057_en.htm

President Van Rompuy's website:

http://www.european-council.europa.eu/the-president/summits-with-third-countries

President Barroso website:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/president/index_en.htm

EEAS website: http://www.eeas.europa.eu/eastern/index_en.htm

Lithuanian Presidency website: http://www.eu2013.lt/en//vilnius-summit

EU Commission DEVCO (Development and cooperation) website:

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/neighbourhood/overview

President Van Rompuy on Twitter and on Facebook

Full video coverage of the G8 will be available for download in broadcast quality from the Council TV newsroom www.eucouncil.tv , and live events will be broadcast on Europe by Satellite

Photos covering the event will be available for download in high resolution from the Council Photo Library http://www.consilium.europa.eu/photo

Contacts :

Maja Kocijancic (+32 2 298 65 70)

Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen (+32 2 295 30 70)

Mark Gray (+32 2 298 86 44)

Preben Aamann +32 (0)476 85 05 43