Levers for change: the EU and civil society in the Eastern neighbourhood

Stability in its immediate neighbourhood is vital for European Union (EU) security. It depends on, among other factors, the quality of domestic governance in neighbouring countries including democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and civilian control over the security sector.

The key challenge for the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region – which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine – is addressing state fragility, which opens the door to corruption, the abuse of power, weak institutions, lack of accountability, and organised crime. Regional stability is also threatened by the unresolved conflicts over Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, over Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and over Transnistria in Moldova.