In the context of the upcoming EaP Summit in 2021, this input paper by Nicu Popescu (The European Council on Foreign Relations, ECFR) and Iulian Groza (Institute for European Policies and Reforms, IPRE) summarises the central challenges that the EaP will face in the next decade and recommends how the EU and the partner countries should address them. The paper also sets new ambitious objectives for the Eastern Partnership in its priority areas, such as accountable institutions, judicial reform and the rule of law, security, environmental and climate resilience, resilient, fair, inclusive societies, resilient, sustainable and integrated economies, and resilient digital transformation.

The authors say that despite the fragile and volatile situation in EaP, the EU has demonstrated continued commitment to deepening its relationship with the EaP countries, in particular with the three associated ones.

The paper was produced for a workshop organised by the EU-funded Network of Think Tanks on the Eastern Partnership.