On 15 April, the EU Parliament adopted a draft report which called for the creation of a "common economic space" between the EU and the six former Soviet republics of its Eastern Partnership program (EaP) as part of a process of "gradual integration" into the bloc, reported Radio Free Europe. 

According to the draft report, the EU Parliament would “confirm the sovereign right of the EaP countries to freely choose their individual level of cooperation or integration with the EU.” The document also “strongly condemns the continued violations of fundamental principles and norms of international law in the EaP region,” citing “illegal use of force, invasion, destabilization, annexation, borderization, and occupation of territories of several EaP countries by the Russian Federation.”

The draft report further emphasized that “while accession is not foreseen under the framework of the Eastern Partnership, the Eastern Partnership policy can facilitate a process of gradual integration to the EU.” It added that the European lawmakers want to “embark on a process to create a common economic space, including services, that facilitates deeper economic integration and convergence with the EU policies and deeper economic cooperation among the EaP countries themselves.”

Support was expressed for a gradual integration of the six countries into the EU's energy union, transport community, and digital single market. Among other things, in the telecommunications field the document suggests creating “a roaming-free regime between the EU and EaP countries and an intra-Eastern Partnership one as soon as possible.” Other suggestions include the establishment of an Eastern Partnership University in Kyiv.

The draft document also proposes setting up “an extended international peacekeeping force along the Ukraine-Russia border,” in which an EU-led mission “should be offered for deployment to the parties in the conflict, to assist in tasks such as de-mining, assisting with preparations for local elections and securing free access for humanitarian aid organizations.”

The document is to be debated by the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee in the coming weeks and could potentially be endorsed by the full chamber in May. A Brussels summit bringing together the leaders of the 27 EU member states with those of the six EaP members is scheduled for 18 June, but according to several EU diplomats, the gathering might be postponed to the second half of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

On 18 March, the European Union published their joint communication which set up the future directions of the EU’s relations with the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries entitled “Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020: reinforcing resilience- an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all.” The document emphasized that EU, its Member States and the EaP countries will work together on the following long-term policy objectives:  1) resilient, sustainable and integrated economies; 2) accountable institutions, the rule of law and security; 3) environmental and climate resilience; 4) resilient digital transformation; and 5) resilient, fair and inclusive societies (Caucasus Watch reported).