Georgian FM reviews Govt’s work for EU candidacy with bloc’s Economic Commissioner

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday discussed his Government's efforts to meet the European Union’s conditions for granting Tbilisi its membership candidate status with Paolo Gentiloni, the European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, as part of his Strasbourg trip. 

Darchiashvili said he hoped the implemented reforms would be “properly evaluated” by the bloc in December and the country would be granted the status, the Georgian foreign office said. 

He also noted the reforms were being carried out in “close cooperation” with EU structures and while considering the opinions of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. 

The meeting also highlighted the importance of the 2014 Deep and Comprehensive Free Area Deal with the EU and its importance for the development of the business sector of Georgia, the press office added. 

The parties also emphasised the need for the country's sectoral integration with the bloc and its full integration into the European single market.