EU vows to support Georgia in DCFTA implementation
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Georgia’s implementation of the Association Agreement (AA) and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) was the main topic discussed at today’s meeting between the country’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili and European Union (EU) Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.
The two officials met in Brussels within Margvelashvili’s Belgium visit this evening.
Meeting with President of #Georgia, G.#Margvelashvili. Discussed #RigaSummit#EaP and #Association Agreement/DCFTA pic.twitter.com/Z8iBzwoCh3
— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) May 11, 2015
The meeting was followed by a joint press conference where Hahn said positive results of the DCFTA had already been noticed, as Georgia’s export rate to the EU had increased.
He also said the European Commission would allocate €150 million to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to help the countries during the AA and DCFTA implementation process.
"We need to prepare the country and business environment, especially small and medium entrepreneurs, to more successfully respond to all requirements of the free trade space. We will offer more support to Georgia,” Hahn said.
He added a more detailed discussion regarding the financial support would take place at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga, Latvia later this month.
Hahn noted the European Commission’s conclusion regarding Georgia’s Visa Liberalisation Action Plan implementation was positive. The report stated progress had been made in a short period of time but more still needed to happen before visa liberalsation would be offered.
Hahn noted another report could soon be prepared and after the second report, the EU would need to make a political decision about granting Georgia visa free travel.
At the press conference the Georgian President was asked whether or not Georgia was disappointed with the recent visa liberalisation report prepared several days before the May 21-22 Riga Summit.
- The President was asked: "Georgia’s dream really was to achieve visa liberalisation at the Riga Summit. It’s not going to happen. Are you disappointed by this?”
To which Margvelashvili responded: "Georgia has been working very hard to intensify relations with the EU; we were very active in the direction of the AA and DCFTA implementation and we have a very affective dialogue after the signature of the AA.
"As for the visa liberalisation, I believe we are very active on this agenda. Our Government, Parliament and society have done a lot to achieve this goal. We evaluate [the recent report] as positive and by carrying out the recommendation given in that report I believe we will soon achieve this goal.”
The President of Georgia is meeting the top official from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and other influential European Union (EU) delegates during his two-day official visit to Belgium.
"Georgia's progress has been significant in a short period of time" but the country "still needs to address the remaining recommendations” says the European Commission in its latest report on Georgia's implementation of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP).
More than 400 civil society organisations from Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, including Georgia, are calling on the European Union (EU) to stay true to its values regarding EaP policies and communicate the benefits of EU integration more effectively.
Georgia’s close partnership with the European Union (EU) was highlighted at a meeting between Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and EU Council president Donald Tusk in Belgium today.
The upcoming Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga aims to support Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, says the Foreign Minister of Latvia, the country currently holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).
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The Georgian delegation attending this week’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga, Latvia will be led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
European Council President Donald Tusk thinks it is possible for Georgians to travel without visas to European Union (EU) countries in 2016.
About a hundred members of European Parliament (MEPs) are addressing heads of government of EU member states to support the European perspective of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine at this week’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga, Latvia.
In several hours’ time Georgia will have a clear message of what is ahead for the country’s European perspective once the 4th Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit opens in Riga today.
Join the global conversation about the Eastern Partnership 4th Summit in Riga on Twitter with Agenda.ge’s live Twitter feed.
Below you can see the live Twitter feed with hashtags #RigaSummit, #EaP and #Georgia.
The European Union (EU) is expected to distribute new investments of more than €2 billion (5.3 billion GEL) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Ahead of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit taking place in Riga today and tomorrow, members of the European People's Party (EPP) Group have addressed EU leaders to offer a concrete date for visa facilitation agreements with Ukraine and Georgia.
Latvia supports Georgia’s European integration. This was the message Latvian President Andris Berzins told Georgian Prime Minister Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili today in Riga.
A political decision has been made on the visa free regime between Georgia and the European Union (EU), and only technical procedures need to be finished, said Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Riga today.
Georgia has received €6 million from the European Union (EU) that will support the country implement the Association Agreement (AA), particularly the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).
In Lithuania today Georgia's Justice Minister met several high-ranking Lithuanian officials including the country’s Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and head of the Seimas (Parliament of Lithuania).
The European Union (EU) is supporting Georgia’s small businesses to ensure they enjoy benefits from the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) agreement.
Only half of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that operate in Georgia want to sell their produce to the European Union (EU), and of the ones that do, only eight percent say they understand the opportunities the trade deal offer.
The European Commission is supporting reform implementation and economic development in Georgia through a new assistance package totalling €100 million.
The European Union (EU) is offering €14 million to Georgia to support the country as it moves towards EU integration.
Georgia has quite a long list of reforms that need to be implemented in the country and the EU will deploy the necessary help and funds to continue to work in this direction, EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi stated at a news conference after an Eastern Partnership Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting today.