Strategic Partnership Agreement Signed Between Georgia and the UK

On October 21, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab signed an agreement on strategic partnership and cooperation between Georgia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in London.

The Agreement will replace the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in bilateral UK-Georgia relations after Brexit. The document covers a wide range of issues, creates the legal framework for strategic partnership, and ensures that the free trade regime between Georgia and the UK is preserved.
 
It covers various issues of cooperation, including foreign and security policies, respect for the principles of international law, support for the peaceful resolution of conflicts. economic cooperation, transport and energy, environmental protection and climate change, innovation, tourism and agriculture, social policy and healthcare, education, culture, regional cooperation, etc.

It ensures free trade between Georgia and the EU, as it duplicates the provisions of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area – DCFTA.

"The document recognizes Georgia’s progress on its European and Euro-Atlantic integration path, as well as its European choice; supports Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders; highlights the importance of a peaceful resolution to the Georgia-Russia conflict, of the safe and dignified return of refugees and the reconciliation of the communities torn apart by the war. The Parties undertake to extend the benefits of this Agreement to all citizens of Georgia, including to the conflict-affected population," the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated.

The Agreement will provisionally come into force after Brexit, and will fully apply after both parties ratify it.

“The signing of this agreement gives British exporters and consumers the certainty they need to continue trading freely with Georgia, as the UK prepares to leave the EU," the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said. "It underlines the significance of our strong ties with Georgia and will ensure that our political and trade relationship continues to flourish.”

“The UK Government is committed to developing both our political and trading relationship with Georgia," said International Trade Secretary Liz Truss. "This agreement will ensure minimal disruption for businesses and consumers in both our countries as we prepare to leave the EU and usher in a new phase of cooperation between our two nations.”

"The signing of the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Georgia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will further foster our bilateral cooperation, which has its roots running deep in history and which has been brought to a particularly high level by the UK-Georgia Wardrop Strategic Dialogue," noted Minister Zalkaliani. "The partnership between two countries is based upon shared values and common interests, including in promoting rules-based international order, security and stability.”

The agreement highlights the UK’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as both countries’ commitment to strengthening fundamental freedoms and human rights and deepening their security relationship.

The agreement pledges that the countries will continue cooperation in areas such as financial services, education, transport, industry and environmental protection. It also recognizes Georgia’s strong commitment to an ambitious reform agenda in key areas such as governance, economic reform, trade and security policy.

Background

• the UK maintains a strategic partnership with Georgia based on its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
• Georgia becomes the 47th country with whom the UK signed a trade continuity agreement.
• this agreement recognises Georgia’s continuing reform of its defence and security sectors, its strong commitment and contribution to international security and the significant progress it has made in realising its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
• this agreement is designed to take effect when the EU-Georgia agreement ceases to apply to the UK, either following an implementation period or a no-deal Brexit. The agreement will be subject to the domestic parliamentary procedures in both the UK and Georgia before it is brought into force.
• the UK-Georgia Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement replicates the effects of the existing trade and non-trade provisions as far as possible.
• the comprehensive new agreement delivers the same level of liberalization in trade, services and public procurement currently enjoyed under the original EU-Georgia Association Agreement.
• trade between the UK and Georgia was worth £95 million in 2018 - statistics sourced from ONS ‘UK total trade: all countries, non-seasonally adjusted January to March 2019 release’. Figures relate to 2018.
• the UK has now secured agreements with countries that accounted for £100 billion of trade in 2018, reads the official website of the Government of the United Kingdom. 

By Ana Dumbadze  

Photo Source: MFA Georgia  

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