Deputy Economy Minister: Georgia “ready to do everything” to achieve its goal - become EU member

Genadi Arveladze, the Deputy Economy Minister, on Thursday said Georgia was “ready to do everything” to achieve its goal and become a member of the European Union, noting “getting the membership candidate status and beginning the accession negotiations are only the commencement of a long road” to EU integration.

In his speech at the 12th meeting of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee in Brussels, Arveladze emphasised Georgia was “committed” to political association and economic integration with the EU, implementing “a wide range of reforms” to deepen trade relations with the bloc and promote harmonisation with its standards in various fields.

As a result of fruitful cooperation with the EU, Georgia’s trade turnover with the bloc had increased by 29 percent, amounting to 20.5 percent of the total trade turnover of the country in 2022, Arveladze said, adding exports from Georgia to the EU market had also increased by 20 percent and reached $863 million, the Economy Ministry said.

He also emphasised the implemented and ongoing reforms in food safety, quality infrastructure, technical regulations, metrology and market supervision, as well as accreditation and state procurement. 

The decision to open the EU market for Georgian products of animal origin was also highlighted by the Deputy Minister, expressing hope that soon other products would also be added to the list.