Brussels, 25/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - “Delighted” to be able to confirm that negotiations have been substantially completed on the future EU-Georgia association agreement, including the establishment of a deep and comprehensive free-trade area (DCFTA), EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle announced, on 24 July, that the agreement would be initialled on 29 November.
“We look forward to the initialling of the association agreement at the next Eastern Partnership summit that will take place in Vilnius on 29 November 2013 and to the subsequent signing of the agreement as soon as the technical procedures are completed”, Ashton and Füle state in a press release. “For both the European Union and Georgia”, they add, “this is a very important milestone, opening the way to comprehensive modernisation and reform based upon shared values, political association, and economic integration with the European Union”. They also underlined their “appreciation” of the commitment of the Georgian negotiating teams who have “worked with dedication and energy since the talks began in 2010”. On 22 July, the Commission announced the end of negotiations on the DCFTA (see EUROPE 10893 and 10894). (CG/transl.jl)