AMO Survey: Membership Perspective, Security, Mobility, SMEs and Development Programs are Keys to EaP Success

16 April 2015

Association for International Affairs (AMO), a Prague-based think tank, undertook a survey to map the ideas, opinions and visions on the Eastern Partnership (EaP) project in the Visegrad Group and EaP countries.

The survey highlights some clear trends of stakeholders’ perspectives on the EaP initiative. While the majority of contributors view the EaP policy as a driving force for transformation towards European standards and the rule of law, it is suggested that some aspects of the initiative need to be improved.

For instance, a large majority of respondents is of opinion that the EaP initiative neglected the Russian factor. One of the main concerns in the EaP region is security, and the EaP has been unable to tackle this issue closely related to Russian foreign policy in the region.

Furthermore, EaP stakeholders generally agree that individual mobility, SMEs and regional development programmes represent an opportunity for the EaP initiative, and these priorities deserve more attention. Concerning the approach to the process, the “more for more” principle has proven to be appropriate and successful. In conclusion the study highlights the fact that membership perspective would stimulate further reforms and European integration dynamic.

AMO Research Paper “Trends of EaP”