The sixth Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministerial Meeting was held in Luxembourg, on 20 April 2015 , chaired by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. The Ministerial Meeting was attended by Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, foreign ministers of the EU Member States and other high-ranking officials. Representatives of the European Investment Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development were also present. Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili led the Georgian delegation at the meeting.

Discussions focused on the expectations regarding the Eastern Partnership Summit due to take place in Riga, on 21 and 22 May 2015, as well as on the possibility to strengthen the EU Policy with respect to the Eastern Partnership countries, against the background of the existing challenges.

The European Union welcomed the progress that has been achieved in the implementation of the Association Agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine emphasizing the importance of further moving ahead with the course of reforms in the partner countries. The European Union pledged to support the Eastern Partnership countries, including by providing technical and financial assistance, in order to facilitate political association and economic integration with the European Union, based on the differentiation and more-for-more principles.

Underlining the firmness of Georgia’s’ European choice despite the external threats facing the country, the Georgian Foreign Minister reaffirmed the Government’s readiness to successfully bring to completion the European Integration Agenda, including by implementing the Association Agreement.

The Georgian delegation underlined that visa liberalisation is of particular importance to the country since it can bring most tangible benefits to Georgian citizens. The Minister expressed the hope that progress achieved by Georgia will be adequately reflected in the report of the European Commission and will significantly contribute to the successful completion of the visa dialogue between Georgia and the European Union.

Within the framework of her visit to Luxembourg, the Georgian Foreign Minister took part in the meeting with the foreign ministers of the 28 Member States of the European Union, which was held at the initiative of Slovak Republic. High Representative Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn were present at this meeting as well. Priority areas of co-operation with the European Union, reforms implemented in Georgia especially towards visa liberalisation, security situation in the country and the importance of enhancing the European Union’s role in this regard were main topics on the agenda of discussions during the meeting.

“Georgia is one of the front-runners, one of the best performing countries in the Eastern Partnership Programme and I think the meeting was a clear recognition of a good work done by your government in implementing political association and economic integration with the European Union” – Slovak Miroslav Lajčák is quoted as saying following the meeting.