The online Annual Conference of the Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum took place on November 9-10, 2021.
The program of the Annual Conference was rich and varied.
Let’s get acquainted with the results of the UNP Annual Conference more thoroughly.
On November 9, 2021, within the framework of the Annual Conference of the Ukrainian national platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (UNP EaP CSF), a discussion “Ukraine on the eve of the Eastern Partnership Summit: achievements and challenges” was held during which government officials and civil society representatives shared their views on the future of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and what Ukraine can expect after the EaP Summit, which will be held in December this year.
In 2020, the current cycle of the Eastern Partnership European policy (EaP) ended, which was marked by the tasks defined in the Joint Working Document “20 key achievements until 2020”. In recent years, both the EU and the EAP member states have worked on the vision of new EAP goals and objectives.
Ukraine constantly expresses its interest in deepening cooperation within the EAP in the trio format, which includes Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. These are countries that have signed association agreements with the EU and are seeking to become EU members. Cooperation with the EU in the three-country format was noted as a priority in the latest statement of the EU-Ukraine summit.
During the event, both the opinions of official representatives and the vision of civil society regarding the role of Ukraine in the Eastern Partnership, its key goals after 2020, and how the new EAP policy will solve the challenges faced by both the countries of the region and their civil society were heard. The panelists discussed the steps and challenges ahead of the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit (December 15, 2021), as well as the ambitions and political goals set out in the new political documents.
The event was moderated by Serhii Sydorenko, editor of Yevropeiska Pravda.
Speakers:
Vadym Halaichuk, deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, first deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on integration of Ukraine with the European Union;
Maryna Mykhailenko said, director of the EU and NATO Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine;
Viktor Steblynenko, Head of the Expert Group on Justice and Social and Humanitarian Issues of the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
Yuriy Vdovenko, National Coordinator of the UNP EaP CSF;
Serhii Herasymchuk, a member of the board of the Ukrainian prism Foreign Policy Council (WG1 UNP)
Ruslan Havryliuk, coordinator of Working group 3 UNP and Working group 3 EaP CSF, All-Ukrainian public organization “National Ecological Center of Ukraine” (WG3 UNP);
Ivan Kulchytskyi, coordinator of Working group 4 of UNP, Public organization “Agency for European innovations” (WG4 UNP)
Yurii Vdovenko drew attention to the fact that the conference participants are those people who implement various initiatives in the EAP, create the positive that we can talk about. The National Coordinator believes that the Eastern Partnership is not about homework for Ukraine, it is more about opportunities for Ukraine to develop various sectors and get closer to the European Union. Yurii Vdovenko noted that today the priority issue for civil society and authorities is that the EaP Summit in December should be used as much as possible to ensure that Ukraine’s positions are heard and taken into account. So that the summit becomes a starting point that would allow to transform politics. Civil society uses its communication capabilities to communicate its position on various platforms. The head of the UNP called on the European Union to note that the external environment is changing, and the format of the Eastern Partnership should also change.
On November 10, 2021, initiatives supported by the UNP in 2021 were presented. UNP member organizations implementing initiatives under the project “Support to the Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum 2021-2023” administered by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting funded by the European Union, spoke about the results and successes of their initiatives.
During the Annual Conference, the current coordinators reported on the activities of the working groups (October 2020 – September 2021), since the last Annual Conference, which took place on October 28-30, 2020.
UNP Facilitator Report (October 2020 – September 2021)
Reports of the WG Coordinators and presentation of plans for 2022 (October 2020 – September 2021)
View and download WG Coordinators Report in English
The conference ended with a discussion by UNP members, during which the participants developed a number of ideas for joint activities in the coming months.
“Ukraine will present its position on the declaration of the Eastern Partnership summit in December at a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels on November 15”. Director of the EU and NATO Department at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Maryna Mykhailenko, said this during a discussion entitled “Ukraine on the eve of the Eastern Partnership summit: Achievements and challenges,” according to an Ukrinform correspondent. (The article in Ukrainian)
UNP Annual Conference Program, 9-10.11. 2021
Public discussion “Ukraine on the eve of the Eastern Partnership Summit: achievements and challenges”, 9.11.2021
VIDEO Public discussion “Ukraine on the eve of the Eastern Partnership Summit: achievements and challenges”, 9.11.2021 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKgUgsM6mng)
UNP Initiative Presentation, 10.11.2021
VIDEO UNP Initiative Presentation, 10.11.2021 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2-cqQfrTVI)
The event was held within the framework of the project “Support for the activities of UNP EaP CSF in 2021-2023”, funded by the European Union, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and implemented by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consultations.
