European Integration Index for Eastern Partnership Countries

The second edition of the European Integration Index for EaP Countries has been published - a study aiming to explore the process of convergence between the six EaP countries and the European Union.

The study was supported by the International Renaissance Foundation (Ukraine) and the Open Society Institute. The work involved over 30 experts from various institutions in the EU and EaP countries. Belarus was represented by the BISS who have participated in the preparation of the Index.

The Index consists of three sections:

1. Relations with the EU (political dialogue, trade and economic relations, energy, transportation, education, etc.).
2. Convergence (democracy, rule of law, market economy, environment protection, etc.).
3. European Integration Management (coordination mechanism, legal convergence, civil society involvement, foreign aid coordination).

The best result, according to the study, was showed by Moldova, heading the lists in all the three sections. Moldova was followed by Georgia, the Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Similarly to the last year, Belarus was the last on the list among the six EaP countries, showing the worst indexes in all the three sections of the study. However, this time Belarus demonstrated the highest trade intensity with the EU in the services sector, as well as a high level of the European aid management. It is also notable that all the six EaP countries have the zero rates in the section ‘Awareness Raising about European Integration’.

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