European Neighbourhood Policy

The integration of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia into the European Union’s “European Neighbourhood policies” (ENP) in 2004 is an important chance to advance democratisation and the rule of law with European support in the South Caucasus. For actual rapprochement of the region to the European Union, however, both parties have to fulfil fundamental tasks:

The South Caucasian governments are in charge of not only declaring their readiness to integrate towards Europe, but also demonstrate this through active and persistent implementation of democratic reforms.

The European Union is asked to not only finance extensive programmes, but also support them through active political engagement and its own initiatives, and reward only actual willingness for reforms.

In order to make ENP processes in the South Caucasus effective and transparent, the civil societies of these countries have to be involved actively in the elaboration and implementation of the national action plans.

With regard to Georgia, the Heinrich Böll Foundation together with the Open Society Georgia Foundation and the Eurasia Foundation drew up a special programme of action (English)   (Georgian).

In Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as in the non-recognised Republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh, the Heinrich Böll Foundation collaborates with various partner organisations and media to seriously consider the potential of ENP processes in the sphere of NGO work.  

Apart from this, representatives of the South Caucasian civil societies are invited to Brussels, Strasbourg or Berlin, to get acquainted with EU structures and at the same time promote consistent EU commitment in the South Caucasus, for reforms in accordance with the rule of law. 

Council of Europe

All three South Caucasian states are members of the Council of Europe (CoE) and hence have signed the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The Heinrich Böll Foundation has organised a series of round tables in Azerbaijan as well as joint meetings of human rights activists from the whole region. The subject matter of these events is to observe to what extent the states have implemented their obligations before the CoE and thus use their membership in CoE institutions as an effective instrument for sustainable improvements of human rights conditions in all regions of the South Caucasus

Report on the Implementation of Georgia’s European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan