(1) The European Union (EU) and its Member States and the six Eastern Partner countries of the Eastern Partnership (the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) met in Luxembourg on 6 June 2019 to discuss cooperation in transport and logistics, with special emphasis on the improvement of transport connections between the EU and the Eastern Partner Countries.
(2) The European Union, its Member States and the Eastern Partner Countries (hereinafter referred to as the “Participants”) reiterate the shared commitment to provide opportunities and deliver tangible results for citizens across the EaP region through improved transport connectivity, as outlined in the Joint Declaration of the EaP Summit of November 2017, and in the document ‘20 Deliverables for 2020’ endorsed by the Participants at the Summit.
(3) The Participants acknowledge the commitment of the Eastern Partner Countries to foster actions for road safety improvements as confirmed by their unanimous political endorsement of an EaP Declaration on Road Safety on 27 April 2018 in Ljubljana.
(4) The Participants welcome the entry into force of a Commission Delegated Regulation on 6 March 2019, establishing indicative maps for the extension of the TEN-T core network to the Eastern Partner Countries, as an important achievement of the EU Trans- European Transport Network (TEN-T) and European Neighbourhood Policy.
(5) The Participants acknowledge the important role of t09he Eastern Partner Countries within the TEN-T policy in the wider context of the EU-Asia connectivity, in particular by promoting quality infrastructure and intermodal and multimodal connection projects which are economically, fiscally, environmentally and socially sustainable and which comply with rules of good governance.
(6) The Participants recognise the progress in cooperation between the EU and the Eastern Partner Countries since the Eastern Partnership Summit of November 2017 and the results achieved by the Eastern Partnership Transport Panel as an efficient framework aiming to strengthen regional transport dialogue.
(7) In this context, the Participants highlight the importance of facilitating movement of people and goods through the improvement of cross-border links and welcome the existing close cooperation and dialogue between the EU and the Eastern Partner Countries covering all transport modes, including through exchanges of best practices on making transport connections more secure, more sustainable and more efficient. At the same time, the Participants emphasise the importance of developing transport and logistics hubs, with increased involvement of the private sector, serving the region to improve Western-Eastern connectivity in the continent.
(8) The Participants underline the importance of their commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, in order to foster more sustainable transport.
(9) The Participants welcome in this context ongoing work towards the conclusion of the common aviation area agreements with some Eastern Partner Countries and the implementation of already signed aviation agreements with some other Eastern Partner Countries.
(10) The Participants recall the existing association agreements and bilateral agreements providing for regulatory approximation with EU legislation in all transport areas in the Eastern Partner Countries.
(11) The Participants recognise, as a prerequisite for any sustainable investments in the Eastern Partner Countries, the importance of a sound regulatory framework, alignment of transport legislation with the EU acquis (Note: The Community acquis, or acquis communautaire, sometimes called the EU acquis and often shortened to acquis, is the accumulated legislation, legal acts, and court decisions which constitute the body of European Union law), encompassing technical standards, transparent and solid procurement rules and other standards for investments, including enforcement rules and measures to fight against corruption.
The Participants will endeavour to:
(12) implement the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan, in line with Deliverable 13 of the ’20 Deliverables for 2020’ as endorsed by the Participants at the last Eastern Partnership Summit in November. The Plan, published on 15 January 2019, was prepared by the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport and the Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations in cooperation with the World Bank to identify priority projects on the extended core TEN-T in Eastern Partner Countries, following the corridor approach. The priority projects will contribute to improving transport and logistics connections that support a more efficient movement of people and goods in a pan-European transport area,
(13) use the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan, prepared in close cooperation with the Eastern Partner Countries, as guidance for future investments with the goal to complete the extended core TEN-T network by 2030 as well as to promote digitalisation and decarbonisation of transport within the framework of the EU neighbourhood policy. Financial support from the EU’s External Investment Plan, in line with the applicable rules and within the limits available, could be used to leverage loans from European and international financial institutions in the context of the implementation of the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan,
(14) work towards the establishment of a technical assistance facility for the TEN-T in the Eastern Partner Countries, within the framework of the EU neighbourhood policy, in order to assist the preparation and implementation of projects identified in the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan. This assistance facility will promote quality infrastructure projects, a level playing field including open public procurement and alignment with high standards of good governance,
(15) deliver on road safety actions, in line with the EaP Declaration on Road Safety endorsed by all Eastern Partner Countries in Ljubljana in April 2018 as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on reducing the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents. The technical assistance provided to Eastern Partner Countries by the Eastern Partnership Transport Panel should focus on concrete actions in this respect, including also organising high-level events to raise awareness,
(16) work towards the establishment of a Regional Eastern Partnership Road Safety Observatory, which should provide analytical support for adjusting the national road safety policies, strategies and annual action plans. The intention is to address concrete shortcomings and improve road safety in the Eastern Partner Countries,
(17) where relevant, work towards the update of the priority actions for transport cooperation and of the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan
(18) enhance cooperation in all international fora dedicated to transport,
(19) continue working together with a view to achieve further concrete results in areas that will benefit the citizens of the Eastern Partner Countries and the EU.
(20) This Joint Declaration is not intended to create new financial obligations, or rights or obligations under international or domestic law, or to amend rights or obligations resulting from existing agreements.
Source: EaP – Eastern Partnership
https://www.portseurope.com/joint-declaration-eastern-partnership-taking-the-transport-cooperation-agenda-forward/