Think Tank Network on the Eastern Partnership
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Timeline of activities

The network has produced a variety of events and publications that focus on the countries of the Eastern Partnership. Some events are public, while others are closed-door workshops for network members and often feature high-level representatives from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and DG NEAR.


How we work

  1. Policy Events and Networking
    • EaP Think Tank Network Colloquium (CQ): An annual event focused on policy discussions, capacity-building, and research exchange among think tanks, researchers, and EU institutions.
    • High-Level Annual Event in Brussels: A yearly public event that brings together key EU decision-makers and EaP think tank representatives to discuss trends and strategies in neighborhood policy.
    • Strategic Brainstorming Meetings: Small, closed meetings held twice a year to generate new ideas and discuss region-specific strategies for decision-makers.
  2. Thematic Workshops and Briefings
    • Thematic Workshops: Online, closed-door discussions held twice a year to address pressing issues within the Eastern Partnership policy in a confidential setting.
    • Informal Briefings: Request-driven sessions held twice annually, primarily for DG NEAR and the EEAS, to provide timely, on-demand analysis on key regional developments.
  3. Research and Strategic Publications
    • Policy Papers and Input Papers: In-depth analyses on key neighborhood policy topics.
    • Research Memos: Summarized insights from research trips, offering concise policy recommendations for EU institutions and Member States.
  4. Regional Engagement and Research Visits
    • Research Trips: Annual visits to Eastern Partnership countries and a relevant EU Member State to gather on-the-ground insights, including workshops with partner think tanks.
    • Cross-Regional Thematic Exchanges: Joint publications or events with think tanks from Central Asia, the Western Balkans, and the Black Sea region to discuss shared policy challenges.
  5. Capacity Building & Training Initiatives
    • Think Tank Lab School: Annually invites two to three network members to participate in professional training modules in Berlin and Brussels.
    • Mentorship within the Colloquium: Mid-career researchers from the network collaborate with experienced mentors to develop policy papers for the Colloquium, enhancing their analytical skills and policy expertise.
  6. Network Communications
    • Network newsletter: A regular newsletter that distributes members’ publications and events as well as a mini-interview addressing a timely issue of the region.
Timeline

Brussels Workshop: Rethinking and adapting EU’s Black Sea policy

In late September DGAP organized the workshop “Rethinking and adapting EU’s Black Sea policy”. The objectives of the meeting were to draw conclusions from the EU’s previous strategizing efforts for the Black Sea region, discuss the changing geopolitical environment in the Black Sea, and propose policy objectives and instruments to address security, environment, connectivity, and human dimension challenges. The workshop was attended by key experts from Think Tanks and representatives of EU institutions, particularly DG NEAR and the European External Action Service (EEAS).

Research Trip to Kyiv

Network organizers traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine for high-level consultations.