EU, Georgia Hold 4th Association Council Meeting

The EU-Georgia Association Council held its fourth meeting in Brussels on February 5, and “took stock of the significant progress made in the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and the development of stronger relations since last year,” according to the EU roundup of the meeting.

The Council, a joint body established to supervise the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.

“Our relations are excellent and our partnership is working perfectly well,” Mogherini said at a joint press conference after the meeting, adding that “it has been a very intense few years of friendship, with the entry into force of our Association Agreement, the beginning of our free trade area, and visa liberalization.”

“We discussed some concrete ideas today and I want to clearly say that the European Union is fully committed to explore the full potential of our partnership and our friendship,” she also noted.

Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who led the Georgian delegation, said at the press conference that his government was “ready and motivated to fully use all the potential of existing frameworks,” but also “to explore new possibilities of cooperation in order achieve maximum integration with the European Union.”

“To materialize this objective, we are working on an ambitious roadmap which will determine key pillars of our European agenda,” Kvirikashvili noted.

A joint EU-Georgia press release issued after the meeting said the Association Council “positively assessed the significant progress in EU-Georgia relations since the last Association Council in December 2016.” It also “acknowledged Georgia’s European aspirations, its European choice and the common objective to continue building a democratic, stable and prosperous country.”

According to the press release, the Association Council “welcomed the adoption of the constitutional reform and of the overall positive opinion of the Venice Commission that assessed it as a completion of the evolution of Georgia towards a parliamentary system.”

It also “encouraged all political actors to work together and to maintain a dialogue open in order to further strengthen democratic institutions, consolidate pluralistic democracy in Georgia and advance reforms.”

The Association Council “welcomed the progress made by Georgia in the implementation of comprehensive reforms in the justice sector,” and “agreed on the need to address remaining challenges and consolidate the progress achieved.”

The EU also reiterated its “firm support” for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders, and “welcomed the efforts of the Georgian Government for peaceful conflict resolution, including through compliance with the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement.”

In Brussels, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili held a meeting with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström as well, with PM Kvirikashvili’s press office reporting after the meeting that the sides agreed the European Union “would start discussing the possibility of accrediting Georgian businesses.”