EU Provides GEL 83 mln to Help Georgia Meet EU Integration Commitments
The European Union (EU) will allocate 83 million GEL in a financial agreement that will facilitate the implementation of the Association Agreement, approximation of laws, and institutional reinforcement in Georgia.
Georgia’s State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Victor Dolidze, and European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, signed a Financing Agreement which launched the 2016 Technical Cooperation Program.
Through this program, which will run until 2024, the EU will allocate 83 million GEL (32 million EUR) to Georgian public institutions to help them comply with commitments laid out in the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and Visa Liberalization and Readmission Agreement, as well as to support the participation of Georgian beneficiary institutions in select EU Programs.
The program will provide support to the Georgian government in the fields of general assistance and training for government institutions, energy, trade facilitation, intellectual property rights, banking services, public procurement, migration, and the participation of Georgia in the EU’s Horizon 2020 and Creative Europe programs.
"The European Commission will continue providing support for Georgia on its European path. We will also intensify our cooperation with Georgia as the regional frontrunner in the preparatory process ahead of this year's Eastern Partnership Summit," said Commissioner Hahn after the signing ceremony.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister, Mikheil Janelidze, said the assistance from the EU contributes to the implementation of the Association Agreement will be directed towards the strengthening of respective institutions.
“Georgian export to the EU during the first three months of 2017 increased by 44%, clear proof just how important the DCFTA and our institutional reforms are. These reforms not only encourage the export of Georgian products to the EU market but also make them internationally competitive,” Janelidze said, adding that the allocated funds under this Agreement will also go towards the Horizon 2020 and Creative Europe programs, which will open up new opportunities for representatives of science, innovation and culture.
Janelidze noted that Hahn had sent an important message regarding Georgia’s European perspective.
“The priorities of the Eastern Partnership are fully in line with the Georgian government’s goals and priorities in the area of development. The EU has a very clear vision of the steps that need to be taken to bring not only Georgia but all six countries of the Eastern Partnership closer to the EU,” Janelidze said.
The minister underlined that the key message of the European Commissioner’s statements is that Georgia must stay on the path leading it to its ultimate goal.
Johannes Hahn visited Georgia on Friday. He met the President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and other governmental officials to discuss the implementation of the Association Agreement and preparation for the Eastern Partnership Summit.
Thea Morrison