Leaders discuss Georgia at EU-Russia summit

The European Union expects to sign an Association Agreement (AA) with Georgia by early autumn at the latest.

The European Council President Herman Van Rompuy made the announcement following his meeting with the Russian President at the EU-Russia summit in Brussels yesterday.

Rompuy said he made it clear that AAs, including free trade agreements between the European Union and partners like Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine, were fully compatible with Russia’s existing trade arrangements with these countries.

"The trade agreements can interact constructively with the Customs Union as long as WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules are applied and free decision making is guaranteed,” Rompuy said.

He added: "we expect that the decisions with Moldova and Georgia made in Vilnius will be confirmed with the signature of these agreements by early autumn at the latest.”

At the EU-Russia meeting, Rompuy told Russian leaders the Eastern Partnership did not affect Russia’s economic, trade, social, human and cultural links with many of their common neighbors.

"These links will not be put at risk but, on the contrary, they will be stimulated by more and more dynamic and successful economic development in the partner countries.”

Rompuy believed Russian companies were well-placed to benefit from these new opportunities.