Strasbourg,

20 May 2015

To the Heads of State and Government of the European Union

As Members of the European Parliament, we should like to take this
opportunity to underline the importance of the decisions to be taken during the
Eastern Partnership Summit on 21-22 May 2015 in Riga. Referring to the letter of
the Bureau of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly of 13 May 2015, we call on the
Heads of State and Government of the European Union to reaffirm their
commitment to the Eastern Partnership policy. Our conviction is that the Eastern
Partnership represents a highly effective stimulus in furthering democratic change
and the process of reform in the partner countries in Eastern Europe. In this regard,
we remain optimistic that the Riga Declaration will build on the considerable
progress already made during the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius of 2013
and will clear the way for further significant progress.
In particular, we believe that the Riga Summit Declaration should be clear,
strong and forward looking and should concentrate, amongst other things, on a
further progress and high ambitions of three Associated Partners of the EU --
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Firstly, the European Union's commitment to the Eastern Partnership is all
the more urgent given that, over the last three years, Russia has placed enormous
military, political, economic and propaganda pressure on Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine. We are convinced that the declaration that follows the Riga Summit
should represent an unequivocal and determined expression of the European
Union's solidarity with and support for these countries and their pro-European
agendas.
This supposes that the Riga Summit Declaration will go beyond the furthering
of economic ties as already laid out in the associated agreements between the
European Union and Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine respectively. Whilst it is
certainly desirable to foster trade with these countries, the European aspirations of
these countries requires a more ambitious response. Consequently, in line with the
provisions of Article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union, we believe that the
European Union should send a positive signal with regard to these countries future
membership in the European Union. Opening the perspective of such membership

would represent a significant incentive to further democratic reforms as well as

sending an appropriate and powerful signal in the currently strained geopolitical
situation.
Secondly, we also believe that the process of visa liberalisation remains an
additional, powerful means of facilitating positive democratic change and a catalyst
for the reform process in the countries concerned. Following a decision taken at
the Vilnius Summit of 2013 in response to the progress made by the Moldovan
authorities, Moldovan citizens are now able to travel without visas throughout the
Schengen Area. In light of the many positive consequences of this decision, we urge
the Heads of State and Government of the European Union, during their meeting in
Riga, to commit to extending the visa-free regime to the citizens of Georgia and
Ukraine. In particular, the European Union should set definite deadlines for the
completion of the action plans for visa liberalisation (VLAP) of Georgia and Ukraine.
It is our conviction that adopting these two measures is in the mutual interest
of the European Union and its three Associated Partners and will represent
significant progress for all parties concerned. For this reason, we look forward to
seeing decisive action during the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga with a view to
visa liberalisation for Georgia and Ukraine and the opening of a European
perspective for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Sincerely,

Petras Autreviius
Pavel Svoboda
Marian-Jean Marinescu
Norica Nicolai
Ramona Nicole Mnescu
Pavel Telika
Mark Demesmaeker
Renate Weber
Anna Maria Corazza Bildt
Claudia Tapardel
Andi Cristea
Petr Jeek
Cristian Dan Preda
Bronis Rop
Tunne Kelam
Michaela ojdrov
Svetoslav Hristov Malinov
Frank Engel

Ilhan Kyuchyuk
Algirdas Saudargas
Sandra Kalniete
Peter Eriksson
Viorica Dncil
Micha Boni
Laureniu Rebega
Michael Gahler
Ioan Mircea Pacu
Miroslav Poche
Martina Dlabajov
Maria Grapini
Sorin Mois
Daniel Buda
Cristian-Silviu Buoi
Rebecca Harms
Emilian Pavel
Antanas Guoga

Anna Elbieta Fotyga

Tanja Fajon
Beata Gosiewska
Milan Zver
Vilija Blinkeviit
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski
Gabrielius Landsbergis
Victor Botinaru
Viktor Uspaskich
Filiz Hyusmenova
Marian Harkin
Claudiu Ciprian Tnsescu
Izaskun Bilbao Barandica
Tibor Szanyi
Inese Vaidere
Kaja Kallas
Iuliu Winkler
Ludk Niedermayer
Jaromr ttina
Monica Macovei
Petri Sarvamaa
Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea
Damian Drghici
Ryszard Czarnecki
Angel Dzhambazki
Andrey Novakov
Andrey Kovatchev
Vladimir Urutchev
Emil Radev
Eva Paunova

Dariusz Rosati
Siegfried Murean
Christofer Fjellner
Andrej Plenkovi
Roberts Zle
Eduard Kukan
Krijnis Kari
Marju Lauristin
Ivan tefanec
Charles Tannock
Gunnar Hkmark
Doru-Claudian Frunzulic
Dita Charanzov
Zigmantas Balytis
Nathalie Griesbeck
Iskra Mihaylova
Artis Pabriks
Marek Jurek
Danuta Maria Hbner
Traian Ungureanu
Boris Zala
Benedek Jvor
Ulrike Lunacek
Jos Incio Faria
Jeppe Kofod
Urmas Paet
Karol Karski
Kosma Zotowski
Valentinas Mazuronis