Georgia “effectively” ratifies, implements 27 UN Conventions

The European Union (EU) praises Georgia’s effort to ratify and "effectively” implement 27 major international conventions within the GSP Plus Scheme, a component of the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences for developing countries.

The GSP Plus Scheme, given to Georgia in 2005, helped developing countries to reduce poverty and generate more income from international trade. Georgia was now required to fulfil economic criterion of eligibility to ratify and implement 27 International United Nations (UN) Conventions.

Today Georgia’s Ministry of Economy announced Georgia had ratified all 27 conventions.

The EU praised Georgia’s effort in the following areas:

• Human rights;
• Labour rights,
• Environmental protection; and
• Good governance.

From the GSP Plus grant, the Georgian Government – like governments of other beneficiary countries – must maintain ratification of the conventions and accept the reporting requirements, monitoring and review of implementation as mentioned in UN Convention texts.

The European Commission said Georgia will continue to be a beneficiary of the GSP Plus Scheme until December 31, 2016. Until then business will have time to adjust to the new preferential trade regime provided by the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).

A spokesperson from Georgia’s Ministry of Economy explained to Agenda.ge that Georgia had ratified and implemented the 27 UN Conventions "effectively” however since the country signed an Association Agreement (AA) with the EU, the GSP Plus Scheme would no longer be necessary.

Georgia was happy to have a GSP Plus Scheme because it did not benefit from the AA and DCFTA. Once the country signed the AA in 2014 it is not necessary anymore to be part of the GSP Plus Scheme,” he said.

The GSP Plus Scheme offered additional trade incentives to developing countries [which did not have AA/DCFTA deals with the EU] already benefitting from GSP to implement core international conventions on human and labour rights, sustainable development and good governance.

The GSP Plus Scheme provided zero duties for 66 percent of tariff lines for countries which were vulnerable to economic diversification and export capacity.

The GSP Plus Scheme has been operating since 1971.