EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule has said that the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU, including the creation of a deep and comprehensive free trade area, could be signed at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in the autumn of 2013.

He stated this in his speech at the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, which is taking place in Stockholm on Thursday, the press service of the European Commission told UKRINFORM.

"I also believe that the Vilnius Summit could see the signature of Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, with Ukraine," Fule said.

However, he reiterated that "to make it happen, the European Union's firm commitment to pursue political association and economic integration with Ukraine needs to be mirrored by determined actions of the Ukrainian government and the new Parliament to address well know and oft repeated concerns."

The commissioner also expressed hope that the negotiations on association agreements with some other Eastern Partnership countries would be finalized by the Vilnius summit.

Ukrinform