MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Genadi Arveladze, presented the 2024 implementation report of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) agreement with the European Union, as well as the 2025 action plan, which also included recommendations from the Enlargement Report, at a joint session of the Georgian Parliament's Committees on European Integration and on Sectoral Economy and Economic Policy.

The Deputy Minister presented detailed information to the parliamentarians about ongoing and future reforms aimed at implementing European standards in Georgia, strengthening state institutions, and aligning with European practices. As Genadi Arveladze noted, Georgian legislation is aligned with over 68% of the EU legislative acts stipulated by the DCFTA, which, according to him, is the result of the team-oriented and effective work of various Georgian government agencies. The Deputy Minister thanked them for their work.

The Deputy Minister emphasized the activities of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development in terms of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), increasing their competitiveness, and supporting their entry into new export markets. According to Genadi Arveladze, in 2024, within the frames of the Enterprise Georgia Agency’s universal business support program, 648 loans/leases for 565 companies were approved, with a total approved volume of 487 million GEL. Arveladze noted that within the framework of these projects, it is planned to implement investments of more than 1 billion GEL and create more than 45500 jobs.

Genadi Arveladze stated that in 2024, exports of agricultural products from Georgia increased by 11 percent and amounted to more than 180 million USD. Deputy Minister emphasized that growth was recorded in such important agricultural products as mineral water (28%), wine (10%), hazelnuts (29%), and others. At the same time, according to 2024 data, the number of exporting companies to the European Union was increased by 58% compared to 2014, and reached 976.

Genadi Arveladze spoke extensively about cooperation with the European Union in such areas as trade, support for SME’s, market supervision, standardization and metrology, accreditation, communications, competition and consumer rights protection, customs, intellectual property protection, public procurement, etc.

Speaking about standardization and metrology, the Deputy Minister noted that the National Agency for Standards and Metrology continues to adopt international and European standards as national standards.

Regarding accreditation, according to Genadi Arveladze, by the end of 2024, the number of accredited organizations reached 287. The Deputy Minister noted that in 2024, the Georgian Accreditation Center, for the first time, issued accreditation in a foreign country, which is the result of the international recognition of the Georgian Accreditation Center.

The Deputy Minister paid particular attention to the reform implemented in the field of market supervision in recent years, within the framework of which the created legislative mechanism ensures more effective implementation of market supervision measures in Georgia and significantly reduces the placement of non-compliant and hazardous industrial and consumer products on the country's markets.

The Deputy Minister also focused on the 2025 action plan, as well as the recommendations provided in the Enlargement Report.