Gov’t involves private sector in Association Agreement reform plan

Georgia is inviting the private sector to be involved in top decisions about shaping Georgia’s legislation to raise the country’s standards to meet European levels.

Today Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili hosted a round table meeting with business representatives, Government members, international donor organisations and members of the European Union (EU) delegation to Georgia, including EU Ambassador to Georgia Janos Herman.

The purpose of the meeting was to deepen communication with the private sector and involve them in the reform planning and implementation processes within the Association Agreement (AA).

Furthermore, today’s discussion outlined ways to better support local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), stated in the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) which was part of the AA deal Georgia signed in June 2014 with the EU.

The purpose of the round table meeting was to deepen communication with the private sector and involve them in the reform planning and implementation processes within the AA. Photo by the PM's press office. 

Georgia’s PM said the Government had invited the private sector to be part of discussions surrounding the country’s new reform plan.

The first part of the reforms within the AA has completed successfully and currently we are in the process of creating a new agenda for the next reforms that should be implemented in 2017-2020,” said PM Kvirikashvili.

I am glad to see Georgia’s institutions, regulations and standards are becoming closer with European standards. This is first of all beneficial for the citizens of Georgia. It is also important to bring European order in Georgia to make Georgia’s legislation and regulations more understandable for western investors,” he added.

The PM believed it was important to have more active dialogue with the private sector, so they were fully aware of what standards they needed to achieve to help them improve their competitiveness in the EU market.

Today's round table meeting discussed how to involve Georgia's business society into the decision-making processes. Photo by the PM's press office. 

This dialogue would help businesses be aware of the country’s future plans and their obligations to meet EU standards.

We have already created the Investors Council which is headed by the PM and unites economic profile ministers, large business associations and international financial institutions. The Council will discuss all legislative and regulation changes. I believe the multi-platform dialogue format will make the transitional period easier for local businesses,” said PM Kvirikashvili.

A series of round table meetings will be held within the EU-funded project that supported the AA implementation process in Georgia.

Other round table meetings will be held in Georgia’s regions, said the Prime Minister’s press office.