The Annual Meeting Report displays key contributions to the discussion of the Working Group 1 members who met in Brussels in May 2019 in the framework of the Forum’s Public Event Series. The third and crowning event of the EaP CSF Brussels Public Event Series, marking 10 years anniversary of Eastern Partnership attracted full room at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic. Democracy, human rights, good governance and stability were in focus of the high-level panel debate with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Tomáš Petříček, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia of EEAS, Thomas Mayr-Harting and EaP CSF Working Group 1 Member Leila Alieva.

Within the world café debate, the civil society, experts and stakeholders responded to a set of questions, exploring how to ensure the democratic reforms and rule of law are not side-lined in the EaP implementation process. The ownership of the reforms and involvement of wide range of actors in order to make the implementation more effective was also proposed for discussion, as well as the upcoming changes in EU funding structure and institutional set up and staffing.

EaP CSF policy paper “Advancing Eastern Partnership: 23 Civil Society Ideas for the Policy beyond 2020” offered further food for thought on civil society engagement, tools for policy implementation and financial support.