ing renovation, industry, and the production and transportation of energy, as well as promoting the use of renewable energy sources.
. Regular meetings make for progress in cooperation: Visa facilitations, Trade relations, The German Russian Year
Russia Summits normally take place twice a year. The two sides last convened in St. Petersburg in June 2012. International issues of interest to both sides are discussed and new initiatives launched, such as the modernization partnership between the EU and Russia in 2010. This partnership is intended to strengthen cooperation on economic and infrastructure modernization projects, but also on rule of law, political and civil society questions. Coordinators on both sides prepare specific projects to this end, sometimes picking up on the experiences of individual member states - particularly Germany, which has had this kind of partnership with Russia since 2008 and has been extending it ever since.EU is also in regular dialogue with Russia on the difficult issues of human rights and the rule of law, conducting biannual EU-Russia human rights consultations. These cover topics such as freedom of opinion and assembly, freedom of the media, relevant pieces of draft legislation, human rights protection in connection with combating terrorism, torture and abuse, respect for the rule of law and the situation in the Northern Caucasus, as well as cooperation in UN bodies and in the Council of Europe, including the reform of the European Court of Human Rights. At Summits, too, we do not shy away from these sometimes controversial issues. It is the EU s conviction that progress can only be made through constant, constructive dialogue.Visa Facilitation Agreement and a Readmission Agreement have been in force between the EU and Russia since June 2007. These regulate matters such as exemptions from visa requirements or simplified procedures for visa applications by specific groups of persons from the Schengen States and Russia.the long term, both the EU and Russia are hoping to drop visa requirements altogether in order to further promote interpersonal contacts . At the end of 2011, the two sides agreed on a list of common steps to this end. These relate above all to immigration and security policy aspects. It is not yet possible to say when all the conditions for visa-free travel will be put into place by the two sides.EU is Russia s most important trading partner by far. Roughly half of Russia s entire volume of foreign trade is trade with the EU. Trade relations in the energy sector are especially important for both sides: about 20 percent of the EU s oil needs and around 45 percent of its gas requirements are met by Russia, and the tr...
