European Commissioners, headed by President Jean-Claude Juncker, along with members of the Government of Georgia, led by Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, held a high-level meeting in Brussels on Wednesday (21 November). The European Union and Georgia have agreed to more than 25 concrete actions across three focus areas, which will advance cooperation within the framework of the Association Agreement.
“Today is another very special milestone in our partnership”, said President Jean-Claude Juncker. “Georgia is a proud country, built on the courage and ambition of its people. Georgia’s commitment and desire to step-up its cooperation with the European Union shows that our relationship is a priority; today, we have agreed on many ways in which we as the European Commission can return this commitment, in concrete terms. The more Georgia reforms, the more we will support. You can count on the European Union to believe in Georgia’s future, and to firmly defend its territorial integrity.”
As a key transit country between Europe and Asia, Georgia has a crucial role to play in trans-continental connectivity. The Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan identifies 18 priority projects across all transport modes – rail, road, port and airports – in order to improve the mobility of people, goods and services, bringing huge benefits to Georgia’s economy, to be financed from public and private funds, leveraging funds from international financial institutions.
Since 2009, the EU has supported access to finance for more than 63,000 small, medium and micro-sized enterprises in Georgia, with about €700 million lent to create jobs and increase exports. New programmes worth €100 million will further support access to finance in the local currency. The External Investment Plan Guarantee will allow the realization of new investment projects in Georgia.
