Cooperation between the EU and Georgia has been strengthened by launching Eastern Partnership (EaP) initiative in spring 2009. The EaP is the Eastern dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy. This initiative aims at strengthening relations between the EU and its Eastern neighbours - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The EaP is the EU’s response to the existing challenges in the Eastern neighbourhood and with its launch the EU has stressed the significance of the region. Cooperation within the framework of the EaP is divided into 4 platforms, defining main 4 thematic areas of the EU-Eastern neighbours’ cooperation. Issues falling within the competence of the MIA are covered by Platform 1 – Democracy, Good Governance and Stability. In accordance with the consent between the EU member states and the Eastern partner countries, the working agendas of these platforms are periodically adopted.

According to Platform 1, the following issues fall within the competence of the Ministry of Internal Affairs:

• Integrated Border Management;
• Law-Enforcement Cooperation;
• Fight against cyber-crime;
• Cooperation within the framework of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP);
• Civil protection.

Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs participate in the following thematic/panel meetings under the auspices of the EaP:

• The Panel on Good Governance and Public Administration Reform;
• The Panel on Migration, Mobility and Integrated Border Management (IBM);
• The Panel on Security Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and Civil Protection.