EU Commission reveals intent of €30 million donation to Georgia

The European Commission has revealed its intention to allocate €30 million (73 million GEL) to Georgia to assist the country as it implements the Association Agreement (AA) and help boost further development in the country.

The European Commission released a statement today that detailed how the money would be divided.

The statement clarified support packages would be allocated to aid the development of public institutions linked to the implementation of the AA, promote competitiveness within the rural business sector and boost trade opportunities with the EU. Money would also be allocated to the protection of the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups.

Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule said Georgia was "genuinely committed” to a major shift in their relations with the European Union, based on shared fundamental values.

"The Association Agreements will make that shift possible and will open the possibility of stronger trade ties with the European market. And our assistance will continue to accompany this process,” Fule said.

This funding was made available under the ‘more for more’ mechanism of the new European Neighbourhood Instrument, which rewarded countries for their progress in democratic reforms.

This is additional funding on top of what has already been committed by the EU to Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, including Georgia and Moldova. Regular allocations under the Annual Action Programme 2014 will be allocated later this year.

In April it was announced the EU had adopted a special support package worth €100 million (244 million GEL) to be allocated between Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Today it was officially announced Georgia and the Republic of Moldova will be granted €30 million (73 million GEL) and Ukraine will be allocated €40 million (97.5 million GEL) to help each country implement the AA in their respective countries.

On April 29 at the Visegrad Group (V4) meeting in Budapest, Foreign Ministers representing the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia issued a statement claiming a perspective of European integration remained the best stimulus for deep reforms for EaP countries.