EU foreign policy ministers and their counterparts from the six post-Soviet states met in Brussels for the first time to discuss the progress made in the implementations of the Eastern Partnership adopted during the Prague Summit of May 7, 2009. The core objectives and 2009-2011 work programmes of thematic platforms established under the multilateral track were endorsed at the meeting as well.

 

 

 

Speaking after the meeting Poland's foreign minister expressed satisfaction that several projects of the Eastern Partnership Project aimed at tightening cooperation between the European Union and six Eastern European countries are already being implemented. According to Minister Sikorski, among the most urgent ones is further visa liberalisation for Ukrainian citizens to travel to the EU which is to soon cover Georgians as well. Another important part of the project are negotations of the free trade agreement.

 

 

While in Brussels ministers also agreed to proceed with the so-called multilateral platforms. There are four of them dealing with good governance, democracy and political stability; economic integration and fine tuning of the partners' economies with EU policies; energy efficiency and the fourth one dealing with education, research and youth cooperation.