 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2021) |
Association Trio | |
|---|---|
 Members of the Associated Trio and the Eastern Partnership that are not members of the European Union Members of the Eastern Partnership that are not members of the European Union or the Associated Trio | |
| Membership | |
| Establishment | 17 May 2021 |
| Area | |
• Total | 707,091 km2 (273,009 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 50,537,490[a] 47,493,009[b] |
| |
The Association Trio (Georgian: ასოცირებული ტრიო, asotsirebuli trio; Romanian: Trio Asociat; Ukrainian: Асоційоване тріо, asotsiiovane trio), also known as the Associated Trio, is a tripartite format for the enhanced cooperation, coordination, and dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine with the European Union on issues of common interest related to European integration, enhancing cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, and committing to the prospect of joining the European Union.[1]
The participants of the format have expressed a clear position to obtain eventual membership in the European Union and reaffirm their commitment to further implement their respective Association Agreements with the EU. In this context, they recall that under Article 49 of the TEU, the countries of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have a European perspective and can apply for membership in the European Union, provided that all the necessary criteria for EU membership are met.
Coordinating their actions, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine seek to expand the possibilities of their Association Agreements, promote sectoral convergence with the EU (integration into the Digital Single Market, energy and customs union, ENTSO-E, and with the Schengen Area; transport cooperation, green course, justice and home affairs, strategic communications, health, security and defense) and gradually integrate into the European Single Market.
All three members of the Association Trio currently maintain free trade agreements with the EU through the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and are members of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.
In February–March 2022, in reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, all three states submitted applications to join the EU within days of each other.
- ^ ПОНЕДІЛОК (17 May 2021). "Україна, Грузія та Молдова створили новий формат співпраці для спільного руху в ЄС" Cyrillic. Європейська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 March 2022.