STUDY A Challenging Opportunity The EU plus Six – the Eastern Partnership Grzegorz Gromadzki November 2010 n The Eastern Partnership means a change in the EU’s relations to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Officially launched in May 2009 this part ­nership programme foresees the possibility of signing an Association Agreement including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, the proposal of member­ship in the Energy Community created for the Western Balkans in 2006 and the suspension of visa requirements as a long-term goal. However, it remains silent on a potential future EU membership of the partner countries. n Main challenges: The partner countries’ democratization poses the highest challenge to the integration process as it is its basic requirement but holds the risk to hamper the integration at the same time. Without rapidly implementing the necessary re ­forms the costs will increase and the EU loses its credibility. Furthermore the EU’s Partnership of Modernization with Russia presents danger to the Eastern partner­ship as the EU applies double standards concerning the condition of democratization. Above all the Eastern Partnership might not be sufficient to deal with the frozen conflicts of the regions. n Proposals: The EU has to show its serious commitment to the partner countries by fulfilling its promises without losing the sight of democratic standards. Concrete achievements – especially a change in visa policy – should be the overall objective. In order to involve the civil society as part of the democratization process relations with the crucial NGOs have to be established. While aiming to foster all of the partner countries a differentiation in their treatment should be maintained. According to their progress it is advisable to sign association agreements with Ukraine and Moldova as soon as possible as this would be a positive example for the other partner countries.