Written declaration No. 578 | Doc. 13552 | 21 November 2014

Major progress for securing the democratic European path of the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine

Signatories: Ms Ana GUŢU, Republic of Moldova, ALDE ; Mr Volodymyr ARIEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Ms Mónika BARTOS, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Gerold BÜCHEL, Liechtenstein, ALDE ; Ms Lolita ČIGĀNE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Mr Raphaël COMTE, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Corneliu Mugurel COZMANCIUC, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Zsolt CSENGER-ZALÁN, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Arcadio DÍAZ TEJERA, Spain, SOC ; Ms Josette DURRIEU, France, SOC ; Mr Bernd FABRITIUS, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Karl GARÐARSSON, Iceland, ALDE ; Mr Valeriu GHILETCHI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Ms Alina Ștefania GORGHIU, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain, SOC ; Mr Margus HANSON, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr Florin IORDACHE, Romania, SOC ; Mr Mustafa KARADAYI, Bulgaria, ALDE ; Mr Algis KAŠĖTA, Lithuania ; Ms Tinatin KHIDASHELI, Georgia, ALDE ; Mr Igor KOLMAN, Croatia, ALDE ; Ms Elena KOUNTOURA, Greece, EC ; Ms Inese LĪBIŅA-EGNERE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Ms Kerstin LUNDGREN, Sweden, ALDE ; Ms Judith OEHRI, Liechtenstein, ALDE ; Ms Liliana PALIHOVICI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Mr Bernard PASQUIER, Monaco, ALDE ; Mr Ivan POPESCU, Ukraine, SOC ; Mr Serhiy SOBOLEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Ionuț-Marian STROE, Romania, ALDE ; Ms Chiora TAKTAKISHVILI, Georgia, ALDE ; Ms Ester TUIKSOO, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr Bence TUZSON, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Jordi XUCLÀ, Spain, ALDE

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

We, the undersigned members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, welcome the conclusion, on 27 June, in Brussels, of the Association Agreements between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. We consider that this is a major, irreversible development in the history of these three countries, which embarked in a complex process of modernisation and reform since the launching of the Eastern Partnership, in 2009.

The Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine have shown strong political will in pursuing the objectives of the Eastern Partnership, in spite of difficulties along the way, including most recently those stemming from a troubling external context. The signature of the agreements, on 27 June, is only one step on the path towards internalising the standards of the European Union. It will pave the way for deepening the political, economic and institutional reforms expected by the citizens of these three countries, who aspire to become a fully-fledged part of democratic and prosperous Europe.

The Parliamentary Assembly has always been and remains a strong supporter of democratic progress in East European member States of the Council of Europe, who suffered under communist totalitarianism. We congratulate the people of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia for this historic moment, and we encourage their parliaments to proceed to ratifying swiftly the agreements with the European Union.

We call, meanwhile, on the European Union institutions and leadership to remain committed to taking further their relationship with Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, in response to the legitimate aspirations of their citizens.