Georgia's EU membership bid in focus of country’s Investors Council
After the meeting, Sarah Williamson, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia - a member of the Council - said she was "pleased, but not surprised" to see the Georgian Government, businesses associations and international financial institutions were on the same page of "strongly supporting" the country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Photo: Government of Georgia
Tweet 
Share
Georgia's application for European Union membership and the involvement of the country’s Investors Council in ongoing domestic reforms were in the focus of a meeting of the body on Tuesday.
The Government Administration said members of the independent advisory body, chaired by the Prime Minister of Georgia, had pledged to “actively support” all the steps and reforms of the Government in an effort to bring Georgia “closer to the EU,” contribute to the country’s gaining of membership candidate status, and “successfully implement” the Association Agreement signed with the Union in 2014.
After the meeting, Sarah Williamson, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia - a member of the Council - said she was "pleased, but not surprised" to see the Georgian Government, businesses associations and international financial institutions were on the same page of "strongly supporting" the country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
She also noted international companies were relocating their businesses or opening new ones in Georgia, creating "new opportunities".
Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Regional Director for the Caucasus and also a participant of the meeting, said the economic growth rate of Georgia was "remarkable".
???????? ელჩი ????????-ში მარკ კლეიტონი,დაესწრო ინვესტორთა საბჭოს შეხვედრას. ვამაყობთ, რომ ???????? მხარს უჭერს საბჭოს პლატფორმას კარგი მმართველობის ფონდის ფარგლებში.
— UK in Georgia (@UKinGeorgia) June 8, 2022
????????Ambassador to ????????Mark Clayton attended Investors Council meeting.???????? proudly supports this dialogue through its #GoodGovernanceFund pic.twitter.com/OHrSNfpxkR
I think the current economic growth rate of Georgia is remarkable. It is interesting to see the number of companies that want to open or move a business in Georgia. Many local companies are also thinking about expanding. This is a general trend in the country and we are very happy about it," Hansen said.
It is important that business circles and entities operating in Georgia have the opportunity to discuss topical issues directly with the Government. This meeting is just an iceberg, and below is a huge amount of work being done in the format of separate workshops, and each of them aims to support Georgia in ensuring economic growth, and progress on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration," UK Ambassador to Georgia Mark Clayton said after the meeting.
The meeting involving Business Associations and International Financial Institutions also reviewed the issue of promoting the development of renewable energy sources in the country, stressing the importance of introducing new approaches in the process.
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili has signed the application for European Union membership on behalf of the country, noting the “historic day” in his address to citizens.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and members of the Government's Economic Council met on Saturday to review steps and measures to be made towards ensuring growth in the country, the Government Administration said. Rising trends in tourism figures, and future prospects in the sector were also reviewed by officials.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili handed over the second completed part of Georgia's European Union membership questionnaire, filled out by the country ahead of schedule, to Carl Hartzell, the Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, on Tuesday.
Reforming the social policy, improving the public infrastructure and taking “specific steps” to facilitate the economic growth were topics of discussion during a meeting of the Georgian Government’s economic council, led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, on Saturday.
A new letter by the Georgian Investors Council, addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, calls for a “unity” between “countries that share the European Union’s values” in supporting a granting of EU candidate status to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.