Government Administration reports today, on 1 April the Government Commission for Georgia’s EU Integration held its 61st session chaired by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
The meeting focused on new realities and prospects related to Georgia’s recent official EU membership application. With this application, Georgia-EU relations advanced to a new phase, and the country continues the successful implementation of reforms under the EU Association Agreement and the Association Action Plan, ultimately drawing closer to the EU in both legislative and institutional terms, the meeting pointed out.
The meeting made a decision to establish permanent working groups under the commission to work thematically on national questionnaires from the EU. In addition, the ongoing individual dialogue with EU member states will intensify. The Prime Minister maintains active communication with senior EU member state officials.
The process will see active engagement from the Parliament of Georgia, to ensure the legislative effectiveness of further action. Special attention will be paid to strategic communication to ensure that Georgia’s population is sufficiently informed about steps to be taken while completing the EU questionnaire, on one hand, and to keep the public in EU member states updated on Georgia’s role and function, and the country’s importance to the EU, on the other. Each agency has been instructed by the Prime Minister, so that every necessary measure may be taken in a timely and effective manner.
Today’s meeting also approved Georgia’s 2022 National Action Plan for EU Integration and familiarizing itself with a report, and relevant challenges, on the implementation of Georgia’s 2021 National Action Plan for EU Integration. The meeting also discussed the EU Eastern Partnership’s flagship projects and prospects of their implementation, with Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani as the key rapporteur on this issue.
The Government Commission for Georgia’s EU Integration is the main decision-making body on issues pertaining to EU integration, tasked with supervising the process of Georgia’s integration into the EU, including the implementation of obligations to the EU. The commission convenes on a regular basis to discuss Georgia’s progress toward EU integration and compliance with tasks assigned. The process is personally monitored by the Prime Minister.