Foreign and European Affairs Minister calls for enhanced EU collaboration with EaP countries

Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo attended a video-conference meeting (VTC) between the European Union and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, which was held on the 11^th of June 2020. This meeting was held in lieu of the Annual EaP Foreign Ministers Meeting, which could not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his intervention, Minister Bartolo welcomed the EU’s long-term approach towards establishing a deeper collaboration between the EU and the Eastern Partners beyond 2020. 

“In every relationship, we need to address the Politics of the Future,” stated Minister Bartolo.

In expressing his support for the Joint Communication issued on 19^th of March 2020 entitled ‘Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020 Reinforcing Resilience – an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all’, the Minister stated that the development of our partnership needs to be essentially result-oriented, strategic and ambitious, with a stronger emphasis on tangible and visible projects that affect people’s day-to-day lives. There needs to be a drive-in strengthening ownership of these projects and ambitions for a stronger result-orientated partnership that is mutually beneficial.

Underlining the importance to continue building our strong response to the socio-economic recovery of partner countries following the post COVID-19 pandemic, Minister Bartolo underlined flexibility as necessary. When devising the priorities within the policy measures beyond the 2020 deliverables, we should better address the situation that will emerge in the post-pandemic reality within the Eastern Partnership countries.