The European Union seeks to support the six Eastern Partnership countries in their efforts to align their statistical systems with European standards and is therefore funding the STEP project, managed by Eurostat and implemented by Expertise France, in collaboration with the national statistical institutes of EU Member States : Insee (France), ISTAT (Italy), KSH (Hungary), Statistics Denmark, and Statistics Lithuania. It is expected that the Eastern Partnership countries will be able to better compare their trajectories and develop new links of cooperation. Regional cooperation generates a very positive emulation between the countries allowing to progress together towards more quality and comparability in the field of statistics. Also, a regional project provides propitious platform for the identification and promotion of good practices in the region.

- Improving and harmonising the production of statistical data in the Eastern Partner countries by aligning them with European standards, thereby enhancing the political decision-making based on the statistical instrument.
- Empowering users, including policy-makers, civil society and social partners in using statistical information in an educated and informed way.
- Provision of technical assistance by European experts.
- Improving the availability of good quality statistics for all groups of users.
- Strengthening the professional independence and institutional capacity of the National Statistical Institutes.
- Preparation and implementation of surveys.
- Organisation of meetings, seminars, workshops and trainings.
- Production of statistical publications for the region.

- Production and dissemination of statistical data is improved in quality.
- Increased level of harmonisation of methodologies between Eastern Partnership countries and the EU.
- Capacities of the National Statistical Institutes are strengthened by the implementation of the principles of the European Code of Practice in Statistics.