Oostelijk Partnerschap onder de aandacht in Vilnius (en)
Chairpersons, parliamentarians and leaders of business and civil society of the Eastern Partnership will meet on 27-29 November in Vilnius for the events organised by the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The most important event is the Third Eastern Partnership Summit on 28-29 November. High-ranking officials from EU member states, EU institutions and the six Eastern Partner countries will participate. During the summit, it is expected to adopt decisions on future cooperation and to sign the framework agreement on Georgia's participation in EU crisis management missions, to initial the Association Agreements, including Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTAs) with Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, to sign a visa facilitation agreement with Azerbaijan, and to initial an aviation agreement with Ukraine.
The civil society conference Eastern Partnership Reality Check: Political Challenges and Future Agenda for Civil Society, organised by the Eastern Europe Study Centre, will begin tomorrow, the 27 November. Conference participants will focus mainly on the primary challenges facing civil society in Eastern Partnership countries, and will discuss opportunities for its strengthening.
The Second Eastern Partnership Business Forum, devoted to discussing opportunities for promoting business relations in the region, will take place on 28 November. The event is organised in cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists.
The Parliaments for Democracy: Towards More Ambitious Global Cooperation parliamentary forum will be held at the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on 27-28 November.
The Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU actively participates in strengthening cooperation between the EU and the Eastern Partners in the fields of commerce, transport, energy and education, and provides support for democratic and civil society initiatives.
It is expected that more than 1500 participants and journalist will visit the Eastern Partnership events organised in Vilnius.