Adopted in Khanty-Mansiysk on June 27th 2008
We, the leaders of the European Union and the Russian Federation, today in Khanty-Mansiysk launched the negotiations for a New EU/Russia Agreement to replace the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which entered into force on 1 December 1997. We have agreed that the existing Agreement will remain in force until replaced by the New Agreement.
We agreed that the aim is to conclude a strategic agreement that will provide a comprehensive framework for EU/Russia relations for the foreseeable future and help to develop the potential of our relationship. It should provide for a strengthened legal basis and legally binding commitments covering all main areas of the relationship, as included in the four EU/Russia common spaces and their road maps which were agreed at the Moscow Summit in May 2005.
The New Agreement will build on the international commitments which bind the EU and Russia. It will contain the appropriate institutional provisions to ensure the efficient functioning of the EU/Russia relationship.
The first round of negotiations will take place in Brussels on 4 July.