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The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Germany met today for their traditional “3+1” meeting in Kaunas, Lithuania. One of the key topics discussed was the ongoing preparations for the 3rd Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius (28-29 November 2013) and the future development of the Eastern Partnership policy.

The Ministers underlined the strategic importance of the Eastern Partnership and reiterated their support for its objectives. They expressed their determination to further develop the Eastern Partnership as a priority of EU foreign policy and to support partner countries’ sustainable reform processes with a view to accelerating their political association and economic integration with the European Union.

The Ministers looked forward to the 3rd Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius on 28-29November 2013, which they saw as an important milestone in seeking to attain the objectives of the Eastern Partnership and setting guidelines for the further deepening of the Eastern Partnership in the years to come.

The Ministers welcomed the substantial progress made in the negotiations on Association Agreements, including their Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) parts, being conducted with Eastern Partnership countries. They underlined the key importance of Ukraine for the future of the region. They expressed their commitment to the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, including DCFTA, at the Vilnius Summit, provided that the Ukrainian authorities demonstrate determined action and tangible progress in the three key areas set out in the EU Council Conclusions of December 2012 that would enable signature of this Agreement. The Ministers acknowledged the progress that was being made by Ukraine so far and encouraged Ukraine to take further steps.

The Ministers welcomed the technical finalization of the DCFTA negotiations with Moldova, which substantively completes negotiations on the Association Agreement with this country. They also looked forward to the conclusion of negotiations with Georgia and Armenia, in time for those three agreements to be initialed at the Vilnius Summit. The next goal would be to have these agreements swiftly signed and applied, so that the people and businesses on both sides start enjoying the concrete benefits they provide.

The Ministers underlined the importance of the continuing negotiations on an Association Agreement with Azerbaijan.

The Ministers agreed on the need to maintain engagement with Belarus in the multilateral track of the Eastern Partnership. They reiterated that all political prisoners need to be released and rehabilitated in order to positively review EU policies with regard to Belarus.

The Ministers reiterated their acknowledgement of the European aspirations and the European choice of some of the EU’s Eastern partners. They also welcomed the commitment by the Eastern partners to build deep and sustainable democracies and functioning market economies. The Eastern Partnership was created in particular to support those who commit to the shared values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights and who seek an ever closer relationship with the EU, based on those values. Finalization of the Association Agreements, including DCFTAs, with the EU is seen as a significant step in this regard. Their successful and determined implementation will allow partner countries to increasingly enjoy the benefits and opportunities they provide. The Ministers underlined the readiness of their countries to support Eastern partners’ efforts in this important task. Ministers shared the view that stronger differentiation according to the principle of “more for more” would contribute to further developing the full potential of the Partnership.

The Ministers also reiterated the importance of enhanced people-to-people contacts between the EU and Eastern partnership countries. They looked forward to further tangible progress in the area of mobility and in the implementation of the respective Visa Liberalization Action Plans, as well as Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements. They reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the shared objective of visa-free travel in due course, provided that the conditions for well-managed and secure mobility (as set out in the Visa Liberalization Action Plan) are in place.

It is of crucial importance that the Eastern Partnership reaches societies at large. In this regard, the Ministers expressed their support for major side events to the Eastern Partnership Vilnius Summit – such as the annual meeting of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and the Civil Society Conference, the 2nd Eastern Partnership Business Forum, the annual Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities within the Eastern Partnership, as well as to the Eastern Partnership Youth Forum that will be convened for the first time.

The Ministers underlined the importance of enhanced sector cooperation within the Eastern Partnership and expressed their support for the intention of the incoming Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to convene the first Eastern Partnership sectoral ministerial meetings in the fields of Justice and Home Affairs, and Transport.

The Ministers acknowledged the importance of strengthening the multilateral track of the Eastern Partnership, giving additional emphasis to the adequate funding for the Eastern Partnership for the period 2014-2020 and the need for greater visibility of the activities undertaken within the Eastern Partnership.

The Ministers looked forward to the upcoming Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministerial Meeting on 22 July 2013 in Brussels.