DCFTA Roundtable Discussion in Adjara

On 12 July 2017, under the framework of the Private Public Dialogue on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), a regional roundtable workshop was held in Adjara, Shuakhevi Municipality on the implementation of the commitments related to the DCFTA. The roundtable was organized by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and supported by the EU-funded project Facility for the Implementation of Association Agreement. Representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro–Atlantic Integration and the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry participated, as well as up to 90 local entrepreneurs and farmers from various sectors (fisheries, beekeeping, greenhouse farming, fruit, wine, building materials etc.). Mr. Zurab Pataridze, Chairman of the Government of Adjara, and Mr. Lasha Komakhidze, Minister of Agriculture of the Adjara Autonomous Republic, also attended the roundtable.

Mr. Genadi Arveladze, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, shared information about the implemented and planned reforms under the framework of the DCFTA with the participants. He noted the importance of Private Public Dialogues in the process of reform and spoke about the state grant programmes and facilities, which will assist entrepreneurs to participate in and reap the benefits of the DCFTA.

The discussion covered the challenges and perspectives of the DCFTA, sanitary and phytosanitary requirements and other topics related to the agreement. The challenges hindering the development of local production capacity that can better take advantage of the DCFTA as well as emerging employment opportunities were also discussed during the meeting.

During the final session of the roundtable, Mr. Genadi Arveladze and the organizers answered questions posed by the attending business representatives.

Meetings with private sector representatives regarding the DCFTA are being held across the country, with the aim to cover all regions of Georgia by the end of the 2017.