EU and Eastern Partners stepping up cooperation on Environment, Climate Action, Digital Economy and Society

The European Union is stepping up its cooperation with the Eastern Partner countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The first ever Eastern Partnership formal Ministerial meeting dedicated to Environment and Climate Action took place in Luxembourg this morning with the participation of Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, and Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. Ministers from EU and Eastern Partner countries adopted a Ministerial Declaration confirming the joint commitment to accelerate their cooperation on environment and climate change and promoting a sustainable and inclusive economic development. A press release is also available online. Commissioners Vella and Hahn are having a press conference. This afternoon, Commissioner Günther Oettinger, responsible for the Digital Economy and Society, and Commissioner Johannes Hahn will commit to the way forward for a Digital Community with the six Eastern Partnership countries and Slovakia which holds the Presidency of the EU Council. The aim is to extend the benefits of the EU’s Digital Single Market to the six Eastern Partnership countries, and possibly to other EU neighbours. Participants will launch EU4Digital networks on jointly agreed priority topics. These networks would serve as platforms for sharing best practices and experiences among partners and with the EU, promoting synergies and developing joint projects. More information and a Joint Statement are expected to be published here after the meeting, at around 15:45. Photo and video coverage will be available on EbS