HTML Preview Strategic Communication Action Plan page number 1.
ACTION PLAN ON STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
1. Context
The use of communication tools has played an important role in the dramatic political,
economic and security related developments that have affected the EU's eastern
neighbourhood over the past year and a half. This has been recognized by the European
Council that, in its conclusions of 20 March 2015, “stressed the need to challenge Russia's
ongoing disinformation campaigns and invited the High Representative, in cooperation with
Member States and EU institutions, to prepare by June an action plan on strategic
communication.”
The European Council further referred to the “establishment of a communication team” as “a
first step in this regard”. A start-up team (East StratCom Team) has now been established (see
point 5.a) This Action Plan has been developed by the East StratComTeam in cooperation
with the EU institutions and Member States. It outlines the measures foreseen in relation to
EU Strategic Communication on issues related to the Eastern neighbourhood and beyond, as
well as wider EU efforts in support of media freedom and strengthening of the overall media
environment. The East StratCom Team will maintain an overall coordinating and monitoring
role in relation to its implementation.
2. The role of strategic communication in furthering EU Policy Objectives
in the Eastern neighbourhood
Strategic communication is an important tool in furthering the EU's overall policy objectives.
The policy objectives of the EU towards its Eastern neighbourhood were most recently
summarized in the Declaration adopted at the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga on
22 May, which defined the EaP as a partnership aimed at:
"building a common area of shared democracy, prosperity, stability and increased
cooperation" based on "mutual interests and commitments and supporting sustained
reform processes in the Eastern European partner countries”, and aimed at
strengthening “democracy, rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, as
well as the principles and norms of international law”.
and based on:
“…the sovereign right of each partner to freely choose the level of ambition and
the goals to which it aspires in tis relations with the European Union…"
Ref. Ares(2015)2608242 - 22/06/2015