EU, Georgia to sign association agreement in June

The European Union (EU) is to sign an association agreement with Georgia, including the deep and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA) in June, an EU commissioner said on Friday. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule told the president of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili in Prague on Friday that the signature of the agreement was a top priority for the EU. Fule underlined the agreement and DCFTA would bring significant benefits to Georgia and to the quality of life for ordinary Georgians. "It help modernize and boost the economy, stimulate competition, ensure greater variety of goods and offer better access to the European market," Fule said, adding the agreement would also provide predictability and security with established European norms for health and environmental safety. Georgia is a part of the Eastern Partnership since its launch in 2009. Under this initiative, closer political association and economic integration with the EU is being promoted by strengthening the role of civil society in the development process.