Belarus is participating in the EU's Eastern Partnership. [22] Belarus has continuously sought to further its economic and political ties with Russia, being one of the founding members of the Union State (formerly the 'Union State of Russia and Belarus'). In line with the EU’s gradual approach, the EU stands ready to adopt further restrictive measures. The EU also stands ready to adopt further sanctions, including on other economic actors, if the situation in Belarus does not improve. Bulgaria (officially called the Republic of Bulgaria) is a country in southeastern Europe.. The EU has been the largest grant donor in Belarus. For all citizens of Belarus, regardless of their travel purpose or type of passport, the visa fee is reduced to €35, the service fee is lowered to €30 and the deadline for consulates to take a decision on a visa application is shortened to no more than 10 days. #Lipa — Erik Marquardt (@ErikMarquardt) January 4, 2021 It has been 81 days since the first police cosh hit the first skull in Belarus and president Alexander Lukashenko has still not paid any EU price. [9] Belarus is also a part of the EU's Eastern Partnership. The EU has immediately made available additional financial resources for victims of violence, civil society organisations and independent media. The EU’s policy towards Belarus has been unambitious. Belarus and Russia have been allies since the mid-1990s. [23][24] Charles Michel, President of the European Council went further on 19 August saying the EU would soon impose sanctions on a “substantial number” of individuals responsible for violence, repression, and election fraud. Belarus, country of eastern Europe. Durchführungsverordnung (EU) 2020/1648 des Rates vom 6. In the, 2018-2020 Work Programme for Horizon 2020, , almost €200 million have been allocated to a series of calls focusing on energy and resource efficiency in the process industry (". ") The 66-year old president has been in power since 1994 (Photo: Kremlin.ru) The EU cooperates with Belarus in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. BRUSSELS -- European Union leaders on Wednesday said they stand beside the people protesting for democratic rights in Belarus, rejecting election results that swept the country's leader of 26 years back into power and warned they are preparing a long list of Belarusians who face sanctions over vote fraud and a brutal crackdown on protesters. All programmes funded by the EU are to the benefit of Belarusian people at large and include significant support to civil society. Brussels has claimed this exclusion to be a direct response to the establishment of an authoritarian regime under President Lukashenko. Translations in context of "Mitglied der EU" in German-English from Reverso Context: Seit dem 1.1.2007 ist Bulgarien Mitglied der EU. Country by country, this page offers an overview of the links to national information servers and to the website of national delegations to NATO. Yet, as noted by both EU officials and international organisations, the further improvement is being decelerated due to ongoing human rights violation and political opposition suppression that are still present in Belarus. In September 2013 a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Serbia entered into force. Belarus is one of the strongest-performing Eastern Partnership countries in the Horizon 2020 programme for research and innovation. On 11 September 2018 EU and 17 Minsk based EU Member states adopted "EU Roadmap for engagement with civil society" for the period of 2018-2020. In line with the EU’s gradual approach, the EU stands ready to adopt further restrictive measures. [8] Belarus has not supported Russia in its aggression towards Ukraine and released several political prisoners. Delegation of the European Union to Belarus. Understand . The EU supports Belarus’ WTO accession process, including the requirements to introduce domestic reforms leading to the creation of a more predictable and stable business environment in the country, which is a necessary condition to attract investors and diversify the Belarusian economy. Home; Exchange. Please enter a Username to create an account. The conclusions also highlight that the EU is ready to substantially step up its political engagement, sectoral cooperation, and financial assistance to Belarus provided that its authorities respect the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights,  by stopping repression and abuses, promoting a serious, credible and inclusive political process resulting in free and fair elections under the OSCE/ODIHR's observation, and providing guarantees for respect for human rights. EU-Belarus relations are based on respect for common values, especially respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. But now that European security is in its worst shape in three decades, Belarus somewhat unexpectedly “has the chance to play the key critical role in security and stability in Europe”, as former commander of the United States Army Europe, General Ben Hodges, put it recently. ENSREG experts are now conducting a peer review of the implementation of the recommendations made in the 2018 report. Donation per transfer. If you already have an account please login before completing this form. Mobility Partnership Facility (MPF), under AMIF (Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund) and ISF (Internal Security Fund), contributed to several actions in Belarus including the elaboration of a Migration Policy for Belarus and activities related to border management and management of irregular migration capacity building for improved cooperation with neighbouring EU Member States. In March 2012 Serbia was granted EU candidate status. A Mobility Partnership between the EU, Belarus and seven participating EU Member States (Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Finland and Latvia) was signed on 13 October 2016. [8] In 1995, Belarus and the European Union signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, but this agreement wasn't ratified by the EU. The EU-Belarus Customs Dialogue, initiated in 2016, continues on an annual basis and is aimed at monitoring and identifying possible cooperation and assistance activities with a view to facilitating trade, ensuring supply chain security and safety, and combating fraud. Holders of new biometric diplomatic passports will be exempt from the visa obligation altogether. November 2020 zur Durchführung von Artikel 8a Absatz 1 der Verordnung (EG) Nr. [11] The sanctions were the results of political repressions following the mass protests during the 2010 presidential elections, when several members of political opposition and protesters were imprisoned and condemned to prison terms. On 11 December 2020, the European Commission adopted. Sectoral dialogues on economic and financial issues as well as environment and climate action take place on an annual basis. [16] This was marked as a step to democratisation by several EU officials. The process has created the European Higher Education Area under the Lisbon Recognition Convention. [19] As for today, the Belarus-Russia integration is mostly economical, with free trade and free movement zones established between the two countries, but Russia is being seen as demanding deeper political and administrative integration.[19]. Policy Paper #2: Actions and Reactions: Political Crisis in Belarus as Seen From Brussels and Moscow Marylia Hushcha & Magda Stumvoll Abstract: Belarusians have taken to the streets of their cities and towns for over five months now, demanding free and fair elections after the presidential vote in August had been blatantly rigged. Despite the pandemic situation, ENSREG and the Commission as well as their Belarusian counterparts, had worked closely together so that the ongoing peer review of the implementation of the Belarusian nuclear safety action plan could continue as far as possible, still respecting the agreed schedule. The EU and Belarus have established a formal Trade Dialogue, which gathers twice a year in order to exchange views and information on a regular basis, including on domestic regulations and other trade concerns. As the human rights situation and the rule of law continued to deteriorate, a further 36 listings were added to the sanctions list, including 7 entities supporting the regime and benefitting from it. Belarus. Sondergipfel des EU-Rats wegen Weißrussland Am Mittwoch, 19.8.2020, trafen sich die EU-Staats- und Regierungschefs in einem EU-Sondergipfel zusammen in Brüssel als Folge der angeblichen Fälschung der Präsidentschaftswahl in Belarus, gemäß der Erklärung der oppositionellen Kandidatin Swetlana Tichanowskaja, die nach ihrer Wahlniederlage nach Litauen geflohen war und von dort per Video. The EU and Belarus in 2009 (Chaillot Paper No.119), European partnership is one of external landmarks for Belarus, Victor Shadurski (FPS): Belarus should develop economic and political ties with the EU, Kiryl Kascian. However, the overall human rights, democracy and rule of law situation in Belarus significantly deteriorated in the run-up, conduct and aftermath of the 9 August 2020 Presidential elections, which the EU has declared neither free nor fair. [12][14] In 2019, Lukashenko made his first official visit to the European Union since sanctions ended. In addition, for some categories of travellers, such as businesspeople, journalists, representatives of civil society organisations, members of official delegations and several others, the visa fee is altogether waived, there are less documents requested as evidence for purpose of travel, and they are eligible for multiple-entry visas for a longer duration (up to 5 years). The EU is a global benchmark as regards its values and guiding principles and we stand united to defend a peaceful, fair, inclusive and rules-based world order. As agreed by the EU Foreign Ministers at our recent video conference, the EU is working on new listings for sanctions against those responsible for violence, repression of peaceful protests, and the falsification of election results. EUR-Lex Access to European Union law. It is against this background that we will be assessing the Belarusian authorities’ actions to address the current situation and conducting an in-depth review of the EU’s relations with Belarus. Please transfer your donation to the DRA donation account: Deutsch-Russischer Austausch e.V. After the release of political prisoners in Belarus in 2015, the relationship between the EU and Belarus improved. The EU has been supporting the Belarusian nuclear regulatory authority with technical assistance since 2013 under the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) with more than €11 million allocated so far. The situation in Belarus at the moment is extraordinary and worries the legal community around the world. The 2021 IIHF World Championship will be co-hosted by Minsk, Belarus and Riga, Latvia, as the IIHF announced on 19 May 2017. [10], The further deterioration of Belarus-EU relationships continued in the 21st century, with the European Union imposing sanctions against Belarusian officials, businessmen and several government-owned companies. Ehemaliges Mitglied des Europäischen Parlaments für das Bundesland Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Negotiations on the EU-Belarus Partnership Priorities (PPs) started in 2016 and are currently on hold. Student Exchange; Study Trips Die EU-Kommission fordert von #Bosnien, Geflüchtete menschenwürdig zu behandeln. The EU is committed to strengthening the engagement with the Belarusian people and civil society and in the last years support to Belarus in education, mobility, youth and the facilitation of people-to-people contacts has been growing. Um Ihnen einen Überblick zu verschaffen, haben wir im Folgenden alle EU-Länder mit Eintrittsdatum aufgelistet. Other EU initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors East – Phase II (link is external) (link is external) and Mayors for Economic Growth projects offer grant support to local authorities most active in adopting pilot measures in energy efficiency and job creation, reinforcing the roles of local authorities in economic development. The conclusions highlight that the EU is ready to substantially step up its political engagement, sectoral cooperation, and financial assistance to Belarus provided that its authorities respect the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, by stopping repression and abuses, promoting a serious, credible and inclusive political process resulting in free and fair elections … They indicate that the EU will scale down bilateral cooperation with the Belarusian authorities at central level, increase its support for the Belarusian people and civil society, and recalibrate its bilateral financial assistance to the maximum possible extent away from central authorities and towards non-state, local and regional actors, including through cross-border cooperation programmes. It is named after the University of Bologna, where the Bologna declaration was signed by education ministers from 29 … Further support to facilitate SMEs access to finance, worth €6 million, is under preparation. The first round of negotiations were expected to take place in autumn of 2020. An diesem Tag haben 50 Journalist:innenorganisationen in 34 europäischen Ländern ihre Regierungen aufgerufen, Einhaltung der Menschenrechte und der Meinungsfreiheit in Belarus einzufordern. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, an ad-hoc meeting of EU and Belarusian senior officials took place on 23 July 2020. In the 2018-2020 Work Programme for Horizon 2020, almost €200 million have been allocated to a series of calls focusing on energy and resource efficiency in the process industry ("SPIRE") with a particular geographical focus on the Eastern Partnership countries. Jetzt besteht die EU aus 27 Mitgliedsstaaten. †= Disputed state, may not be recognised as an independent state by some or all European Union members. This Trust Fund, managed by the EBRD, supports loans for municipal sector projects across the Eastern Partnership countries on energy efficiency and the environment. The readmission agreement established, on the basis of reciprocity, procedures for the safe and orderly return of persons who reside irregularly in the EU or Belarus, in full respect of their rights under international law. Der 25.März ist in Belarus der Tag der Freiheit in Belarus. Username * Check Availability Punctuation is not allowed in a Username with the exception of periods, hyphens and underscores. After Alexander Lukashenko became Belarusian leader in 1994, the relationship between Minsk and the EU deteriorated and has remained cold and distanced, as the EU has condemned the government of Belarus several times for authoritarian and anti-democratic practices, and even imposed sanctions on the country. The situation shows how, even in seemingly clear and simple EU foreign policy decisions, other unrelated issues come into play. Auch in Bremen fand eine Kundgebung statt. The project helps Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine bring their legislation closer to EU policy in the field of water management, with a main focus on the management of trans-boundary river basins. Although Moscow’s recent push for Belarus-Russia integration may open new opportunities for EU engagement, rewards may be slow to appear. The EU is stepping up the implementation of a number of measures that will enhance EU-Belarus relations in several fields related to the economy, trade, and energy. European Economic Commission recognised Belarusian independence in 1991, and Belarus is part of several bilateral and multilateral treaties with the European Union. The February 2016 Council Conclusions laid out the EU policy on Belarus. Secretary General Strasbourg 14 August 2020 ... Avenue de l'Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex Tel. Finally, trade volumes between Belarus and the EU have also been on the rise. The population of Bulgaria is a little more than 7 million people.. Bulgaria has its own language, called Bulgarian. Until October 2020, the EU's relations with Belarus were guided by the, the EU has declared neither free nor fair, members and journalists in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process, were added to the existing restrictive measures. The remaining death sentences should be commuted and a moratorium introduced as a first step towards its abolition. [13] This decision was praised by Belarusian officials. The capital and the biggest city is Sofia.Their money is called the lev. Economic Survey of Lithuania 2018. 2 talking about this. EASA Representative Office. Euro-Belarusian relations refers to relations between the Republic of Belarus and the European Union (EU). [7], Following a series of mass protests that took place after a disputed presidential election in August 2020, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell announced that the EU would bring in sanctions against Belarusian officials responsible for "violence and falsification". Mutual relations were initially established after the European Economic Community recognised Belarusian independence in 1991. Select the subjects you want to know more about on euronews.com Belarus: EU imposes third round of sanctions over ongoing repression, Post Category:  News stories Show left menu:  Main Image:  /file/eu-flagjpg-2_eneu-flag.jpg Regions: Europe and Central Asia Eastern Europe Belarus Editorial Sections: Belarus, https://www.facebook.com/pages/European-Union-in-Belarus/159580370757975, Mobility and contacts between the European Union and Belarusian citizens, Boosting sustainable development and green growth, lift most of the restrictive measures in February 2016, Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Exporting from the EU - what you need to know, Press and information team of the Delegation to Belarus.