

Introduction
EaP CSF Working Group “Economic Integration & Convergence with EU Policies” deals with the main issues on the agenda of EaP Thematic Platform 2 of the same name.
It tackles one of the biggest ambitions fixed at the Prague Summit which aimed at regional economic integration between Eastern Partner countries and opening negotiations on the deep and comprehensive free trade areas between the EU and the Eastern partner countries.
Goals of the Working Group
The WG2 would like to add the following economic and social issues to the agenda of the EaP:
- Increase the performance of social security and social protection systems and intensify the fight against poverty
- Introduce the principles of sustainable development and adequate responses to climate change
- Facilitate labour mobility and flexicurity
- Support the efforts of those partner countries that are not yet members of WTO to become members
- Support for consumer protection organisations to become part of the new national action plans
- Put in place a programme aimed at upgrading the support of business contacts, internationalisation and market access
- Promote the role of the EaP and opportunities for economic growth, better regulations, social and health safety standards.
Meetings and Reporting
WG2 Annual Report 2018 (to be published soon)
WG2/WG5 Joint Annual Meeting Report, May 2018
WG2/WG5 Joint Annual Meeting Photos, May 2018
Coordinators
Laura Dittel, Carpathian Foundation (Karpatská Nadácia) | wg2@eap-csf.eu
Sabit Baghirov, Entrepreneurship Development Foundation | wg2@eap-csf.eu
Projects 2018
- Facilitation of Regional Professional Education in Agriculture and Rural Development in EaP countries (Center for cross-border cooperation, Ukraine)
- Convergence Business Climate in the Eastern Partnership Countries with the Business Climate in the EU (Entrepreneurship Development Foundation (EDF), Azerbaijan)
See all the Working Group 2 Projects of the Re-Granting 2018
Projects 2017
- Benefitting from EU open market: SMEs practical guide to DCFTA learning from experience of Latvia (Association of Women in Business, Georgia)
- Enhancing the role of civil society and SME from Eastern Partnership countries in the implementation of European standards (Center for Innovation and Policies, Moldova)