Brussels, 02/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - During the EU-Georgia Cooperation Council on Thursday 1 December, the European Union welcomed the major progress made by Georgia in its efforts to modernise and reform, said Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle said that 2011 was a year for intensifying EU-Georgia relations. The Cooperation Council pointed out that agreements had been set in place on visas and readmission with measures taken for a visa-free regime in the near future, and the Council highlighted the four rounds of talks on the association agreement and the progress made in preparing talks for a deep and complete free trade area. The EU was due to discuss, on Friday 2 December, headway made in this area and the date for beginning negotiation. Füle also underlined the setting in place of a roadmap with Georgia to reflect cooperation as a whole. Sikorski stated how important it was to settle conflicts between Georgia and its breakaway regions. (CG/transl.jl)