DCFTA Roundtable Discussion in Kutaisi

On 23 February 2018, within the framework of the Private Public Dialogue on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), a regional roundtable workshop was held inKutaisi on 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 Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia participated in the roundtable, as well as 200 local entrepreneurs from various sectors including bee keeping, warmhouse industry, lamber industry, fruit industry, wine production, tea industry industry and etc. 

Mr. Genadi Arveladze, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development shared information about the implemented and planned reforms under the DCFTA with the participants. He noted the importance of the Private Public Dialogue in the process of reform and spoke about state grant programmes and facilities that will assist entrepreneurs in participating in and securing more benefits from 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 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 from 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 during 2018.