2012 has been a very successful year for the Republic of Macedonia generally due to the positive achievements, such as the high-level accession dialogue with the EU, Deputy PM responsible for European affairs, Teuta Arifi said at Thursday's regional conference "Sustainable Reforms - Towards EU 2020 Objectives", held in Skopje.

Today's conference, she states, offers an opportunity to send a strong message that EU integration remains a top strategic priority of the entire region.

"As a potential member country and all of us as potential member countries in the process of meeting European standards, together we need to address common challenges that are the driving force of the integration processes, because we all share a common future as full-fledged EU members, Arifi said adding that regional cooperation was necessary for economic growth and prosperity.

Premier Nikola Gruevski said that the Europe 2020 strategy was "the most important economic EU strategy at the moment."

"This is the strategy with which Europe will develop globally into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. The five ambitious objectives - employment, innovations, education, social inclusion and climate changes and energy, which are to be met by 2020 - are the future of Europe where we all want to live. Macedonia is fully focused on fulfilling the goals of this strategy. It continuously creates and implements policies, strategies and measures aimed at providing economic growth for new jobs and improvement of the living standards," PM Nikola Gruevski said in his address at the regional conference.

In times when the EU is facing challenges and is building a fresh momentum for economic, political and financial integration, he added, the enlargement policy is still the foundation of the original idea for Europe - peace, security and prosperity of the European continent and hence the successful enlargement story should be continued.

"Macedonia is a hard-working candidate that has been meeting its obligations. It is a trustworthy partner of the international community and a factor of stability in the Balkans contributing to the security in the region and beyond," the PM said.

Despite its current achievements, Gruevski added, Macedonia will continue working actively on improving good neighbourly ties and building bridges of cooperation with all neighbours in an attempt to build an European future based on European principles and values with respect of each other's sensitivities.

Stefano Sannino - the Director-General for Enlargement at the European Commission - said enlargement remained high among EU's priorities. "2012 was an important year for the enlargement process."

"Once aspiring EU members meet their obligations, EU will meet its own obligation. At this stage it is vital to maintain dynamics with respect to meeting enlargement goals, strengthening fight against organised crime and corruption, reforms in public administration as well as rule of law."

According to the EC official, rising the employment rate, strengthening the fiscal policy, investments, innovations are part of the joint challenges of all countries in the region in relation to regional cooperation within the Europe 2020 agenda.

"The high-level accession dialogue is a good example about how countries can handle changes. The EC together with the government established a new platform founded on a constructive dialogue, which helped the government to prepare a roadmap resulting in a breakthrough in key areas, such as freedom of the press and electoral reforms, Sannino said amongst other things.

The conference "Sustainable Reforms - Towards EU 2020 Objectives" is organised by the Secretariat for European Affairs.