It's already the seventh time that we have tried to sum up the steps we made toward the European Integration by initiating ''National and European Dimensions of the Eastern Partnership'' Conference this year.

About a year has passed since our last conference and over this year Armenia has made tangible steps towards European integration. Over this year, Armenia's government system and laws have become closer to the European Union's legislation and the EU institutional standards. Over this year, the Armenian authorities and EU leadership have more concretized the targets of forming the neighborhood and joint future and made serious steps to reach them. Over this year, the European family's concerns and joys of have become closer and more intelligible to Armenians.

Over this year, the values in our society came closer to the European value system. And perhaps this year may become critical in the process of modernization of the Armenian society and political system.

Over the 2 days of the Conference, we summed up our most important achievements in the issues vital to the country with experienced experts. And there was much to be summed up despite the financial-economic crisis that has engulfed the whole world, unexpected shocks in the regional political arena and the growing challenges of de-integration emerging as a result of all this.

Thus, political and economic relations between Armenia and European Union were unexpectedly boosted this year which is evidenced by the negotiations on the Association Agreement with Armenia. The seventh round was over in Yerevan only 2 weeks ago. The wide scope of the negotiations ranged from the issues of cooperation in the spheres of the political dialogue, foreign policy, justice, protection of civil liberties and security system to economic, industrial and financial cooperation. I am glad that we had the opportunity to hear the assessments of the processes straight from the lips of the key figures in the negotiations and discuss the outlines of the further tasks.

On September 29-30, the leaders and representatives of Armenia, other countries of the partnership and EU member countries re-confirmed the commitments toward fulfilling the goals of the Eastern Partnership in the joint communiqué issued in Warsaw Eastern Partnership Summit. The summit turned out to be not only a remarkable event in terms of the clarification of the cooperation frames between our country and the EU but also a clear message indicating the concern and care of the European partners for the problems and needs of our people within the European integration process. The message of the summit was clear –the European community really attaches special importance to the partnership with Armenia: not only does it support our people in such tough and hard times that European family is going through but also is interested in boosting the process of integration.

On September 19, 2011, the European Commission proposed starting the EU-Armenia negotiations on visa regime facilitation for Armenians entering the EU member countries and signing of readmission agreements on illegal migrants. I am sure our country's success in these areas will lay the basis for negotiations on visa regime cancellation in the nearest future.

A few days ago, the Armenian Foreign Minister, high-ranking officials of the European Union and EU member countries signed a Mobility Declaration which was a turning point for the processes of settling migration flows, combating illegal migration and regulating legal immigration between Armenia and EU.

The preparatory process of talks on Armenia-EU Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade area has come to its logical end this year. Armenia is taking the last necessary steps in this direction. I believe the negotiation process will start in 2012 and will give a new spirit and impetus to the modernization of our economy, stimulate further liberalization of the market and our country’s competitiveness.

New financial tools of Eastern Partnership became available for Armenian structures in 2011; new possibilities for the strengthening of relations between people and intensification of European values have been created.

This year, the cooperation between Armenian and European political structures on various bilateral and multilateral platforms has also become more active.

Armenia really had many achievements in terms of European integration this year. However, they mainly mark the beginning of new processes. There is much yet to be done. And I hope that our conference allowed outlining also the upcoming tasks and problems necessary for cooperation between the state, the public and the business. I believe the productive cooperation and combination of efforts will become the pledge for future achievements.

Tevan Poghosyan is the Executive Director of International Center for Human Development (ICHD). These views are his own.