EU Associate Member plans

The EU has started implementing its plans to make the three South Caucasus countries Associate Members of the EU. Negotiations on this were held in Batumi on July 15, in Baku on July 16 and in Yerevan on July 19. These negotiations will cover a wide range of issues and will last several years.

The major incentive of such moves is to further strengthen the political and economic ties between the EU and three South Caucasus countries. The negotiations will seek to elaborate simultaneously compatible values but also take the peculiarities of each country into account. Of course the major principles of democracy, rule of law, human rights and other universal values will be given great attention.

High Commissioner and EU Vice-President Catherine Ashton highlighted in Batumi that Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are committed to strengthening their relations with the EU. Similar negotiations are underway with Ukraine and Moldova.