Quotes

 “Being closer to citizens than other public institutions, Local Authorities hold responsibility in mobilising local societies’ opinions while acting as catalysts for change. The new EU approach would promote enhanced political, administrative and fiscal autonomy of Local Authorities through decentralisation reforms, capacity and institutional development”.

“The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) is the most ambitious bilateral agreement the EU has ever negotiated with a trading partner. The DCFTA will not only open up markets by reducing import tariffs, it will also lead to better regulation across all economic sectors, as well as safer products and improved services for citizens. The DCFTA does not offer unrealistic promises about a transformed economy tomorrow. The real world doesn't work like that, despite what some people might pretend”. 

«The local and regional public finance reform should be considered as an urgent priority, a 'sine qua non' condition in the process of decentralisation and strengthening of local and regional authorities in the EaP countries. We need to make our voice heard by the Heads of State and highlight the added value of having a territorial dimension in the various policies covered by the Eastern partnership. Our input must not only cover cross-border cooperation but also other fields, starting from the strengthening of grass-root democracy, decentralisation and direct involvement in those policies that contribute to growth and job creation at local level».

“A free, independent and vibrant press is indispensable in any democratic society," the High Representative said in her message. “The EU is determined to fight for press freedom worldwide and condemns the increasing level of intimidation, violence and censorship that journalists face in many countries. he EU calls on all governments to allow journalists to work in safety and security, and without the fear of censorship or prosecution. Freedom of expression must be defended both in the traditional media and on the Internet”.

"EU-Azerbaijan relations are developed through the Eastern Partnership, that is to say the Eastern dimension of the European neighbourhood policy. This policy framework is of great value both to the EU and also its partners because it will bring our relationships to a new and higher level… The Eastern Partnership, some say, is using a one-size-fits-all-approach, leading to uniform relationships, in which the specificity and the very nature of each of the partners gets lost. However, exactly the opposite is true: While we do use a common tool box, in which, for example, mobility of people plays a crucial role, together with our partners we are keen to find tailor-made solutions. Differentiation is key, and Azerbaijan in this respect is no exception".

«Azerbaijan an interesting and reliable partner… A partner in regional and international security, in energy, in anti-terrorism, in enterprise development and investment, in culture and in education… The relationship between the EU and Azerbaijan from the EU perspective has enormous potential. I believe we can build a solid foundation for prosperity and development without eroding those special characteristics, traditions and features that make this country and its people unique».

 “Whereas previously fortresses were used for defence in war times, they have now become a resource for bringing people together. So this is not just war history, but also the history of a cultural interaction. We consider all this to be our common heritage. I can say that the main aim of the project is to set up a cultural network to make people aware of their castles, and more generally, of their cultural heritage”.

 “In the past, the production of one ton of metal would take two hours, now this has been cut down to 45 minutes: a new organisational model has been introduced, and  last year’s sales tripled compared to 2010”

“Yerevan had lots of open air spaces. We used to get together and listen to singers or watch performances… Today every centimeter is owned by someone and none of them cares about art, culture or traditions. They prefer to build glassy stuff and to make the city look as ugly as possible”.

 “Our aim is to support the new Tunisia’s democratic and economic transition through projects to encourage growth and employment for young people, development and the modernisation of infrastructure. This was the pledge we made to the people of Tunisia following the Revolution. Through this action we will be improving the daily life of Tunisians. We are preparing the future of the younger generations.” 

“The value of close EU-Russia cooperation is clear to all - our regular exchanges are a sign of this...We share a continent and many common interests, which is why we want to develop this strategic partnership further”.

"The stabilisation of Libya is a key to allow democratic transition to take place according to the expectations of the Libyan people. With these three programmes [focusing on education, health care, security and the rule of law] the EU is bringing its diversity of experience and expertise to support the new Libya in setting-up their own solutions to their most pressing challenges."

“This year [2012], the amount of EU assistance to Moldova reached the highest figure – €152 million, i.e. €41 per citizen – the absolute record in the Neighbourhood, denoting the EU’s trust in Moldova. The European Union is pleased with Moldova’s utilisation of funds and we encourage the government to keep the same pace in the implementation of reforms”.

 As they are the youngest members of society, it is children who can carry forward the message of respect for and protection of archaeological sites. Kids will turn into young men and women and they will pass what they have learned on to future generation.

 "During the past year we have had in-depth policy dialogue across a wide variety of sectors. The span of the topics covered today demonstrates that our bilateral partnership with the Palestinian Authority is both ambitious and comprehensive. This is the case because the PA itself has set the bar very high and has demonstrated its ability to be a full partner for the EU within our Neighbourhood Policy. [..]The PA is the first partner in the Neighbourhood with whom we have concluded a new Action Plan. The real challenge will thus be to move ahead with our mutual commitments despite the difficult political and financial situation that the PA is in. The hard work must and will continue in the spirit of trust and openness, which guided all our discussions today." 

"We welcome progress made by Azerbaijan to fully respect its commitments towards the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the EU. It is a long process and there are still challenges in areas such as freedom of the media, freedom of assembly and freedom of association".

 "During the Tunisian revolution, marginalised populations demanded more dignified living conditions, decent jobs and a more inclusive economic and social development. The European Union continues to contribute concretely to the achievement of these objectives and takes the difficulties encountered by the population head on. Through our new programme [a €33 million financial assistance programme for the renovation of 119 working-class neighbourhoods in Tunisia and the improvement of the lives of hundreds of thousands of people living in these areas], we will improve the lives of thousands of people living in many disadvantaged neighbourhoods." 

There are many challenges on Ukraine’s road towards political association and economic integration with the European Union. We remain firmly engaged to developing relations with Ukraine, but we cannot realise the full potential of our relations yet.

 “Through this second phase of support to the Association Agreement and the transition, the European Commission expresses its confidence in the transition process undertaken since the revolution. In addition to supporting the efforts of the Tunisian authorities to sustain the democratic gains of the revolution, the EU will help the actors of civil society who have a vital role to play in creating a state of law, defining public policy, respect of human rights, freedom of association, expression and freedom of media." 

"Standing up for Human Rights, democracy and the rule of law is the silver thread that runs through EU external relations."

 It is remarkable that the EU was able to finance projects retrospectively or mobilise large sums of money so quickly or even change the rules so that different political actors could fully participate in the country’s political and social life.