A new response to a changing Neighbourhood

The EESC welcomes the Joint Communication as a timely and urgent adjustment in the EU's policy. It fully endorses the Communication's stated objective of developing a new approach to the EU neighbourhood in order to strengthen the partnership between the EU and partner countries. The Committee notes with satisfaction the Communication's new emphasis on civil society's key role in strengthening democratic processes and welcomes the establishment of the new instruments to support the civil society: the Civil Society Facility and the European Endowment for Democracy (EED). The EESC is willing to play an active role in supporting civil society in the neighbourhood countries and its stands ready to share its expertise with the aim of building a more efficient European framework for cooperation and partnership.