The Association Trio (, asotsirebuli trio; ; , 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.
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.
History
A joint memorandum between the Foreign Ministers of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine (David Zalkaliani, Aureliu Ciocoi, and Dmytro Kuleba), initiated the creation of the format. It was signed on 17 May 2021, in Kyiv.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, stated that this initiative will help the three countries to move forward more effectively together through European integration:
According to him, the Associated Trio includes three main elements: structuring consultations on European integration between the three foreign ministries, engaging in dialogue with European institutions and EU members, and coordinating the positions of countries within the Eastern Partnership.
In turn, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, David Zalkaliani, said that Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have a common goal of future EU membership and would like to restore unity with European countries:
While the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Aureliu Ciocoi, said that by signing the memorandum the three countries reaffirmed their European intentions, great interest in the ambitious goals of the Eastern Partnership and are ready to contribute.
On 18 May 2021, in Brussels, the representative of the EU diplomatic service, Peter Stano, stated that the European Union respects and shares the commitment to the European integration of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, which created the so-called "Associated Trio":
Members
Members of the Eastern Partnership belonging to the Association Trio: Georgia Moldova Ukraine
Other members of the Eastern Partnership not belonging to the Association Trio: Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus (Belarus announced a suspension of its participation in the Eastern Partnership on 28 June 2021)
Mechanisms of cooperation
In accordance with the common interests of their European integration, the participants will cooperate to enhance their political association and economic integration with the EU, as stipulated by the three respective Association Agreements, and promote new opportunities within the Eastern Partnership. The participants believe that the significant potential of further development of their states’ integration with the EU requires that the tools and areas of cooperation correspond to the needs and capabilities of the "Association Trio", providing them with more opportunities of enhanced political dialogue, as well as, greater economic integration.