Georgia’s Action Plan for the Implementation of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) 2014-2017

The Georgia’s Action Plan for the Implementation of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) 2014-2017 is a national multi-sectoral action plan. Its priorities are increasing the diversification of Georgia's export structure; further improvements in the area of trade statistics; facilitating the preparation and adaptation of Georgian businesses for the implementation of approximated legislation; approximating Georgia’s legislation to the relevant EU legislation as envisaged by the Association Agreement (AA); developing infrastructure related to administration of standards, technical regulations, metrology, market surveillance, accreditation, conformity assessment procedures; facilitating the preparation and adaptation of stakeholders including economic operators especially SMEs for the implementation of approximated legislation; implementing Market Surveillance Strategy; in Market Surveillance field, strengthening administrative capacities of relevant Georgian state institutions and market surveillance bodies; further staff training for administration of responsible government bodies and agencies (human capacities development); preparing Georgia to achieve the conditions necessary to conclude an ACAA covering one or more sectors, as envisaged by the Association Agreement, and in accordance with a related comprehensive Institutional Reform Plan, and including legislative reforms; completing the implementation of Georgia’s current Food Safety Strategy and Approximation Programme, in particular in the implementation of the Food Safety Code and progressive adoption of the implementing horizontal legislation; setting up Georgia’s sectoral priorities and reviewing Georgia’s current Food Safety Strategy with a view to cover all areas under the relevant Annexes of the envisaged Association Agreement. It shall include sectoral legislation, according to Georgia’s economic priorities; ensuring that veterinary, phytosanitary and food safety checks at the border inspection posts be carried out by the competent authority; preparing to set-up an early warning system for the food and feed, animal health and plant health safety; organizing information campaigns with relevant agencies, businesses and NGOs on the requirements for accessing the EU market, as well as with civil society on the relevant consumer aspects of food and feed safety; facilitating the preparation and adaptation of Georgian businesses for the implementation of approximated SPS legislation and Development of SPS infrastructure; approximating Georgia’s legislation to the relevant EU legislation as envisaged by the AA; approximating Georgia's Authorized Economic Operator system to that of the EU with the prospect of mutual recognition as envisaged by the Association Agreement; preparing for the accession to the Convention on Common transit procedure and drawing up a roadmap for this purpose; co-operating on risk-based customs control and sharing of relevant information that contributes to improved risk management and security of the supply chains, facilitation of legitimate trade and safety and security of goods imported, exported or in transit; approximating Georgia’s legislation on Customs enforcement of IPR to EU acquis, as envisaged by the Association Agreement; completing the transfer of competence of issuance of EUR.1 movement certificates and verification to Georgian customs authorities; providing training to the Georgian customs authorities on certification and verification of preferential origin starting preparation of a comprehensive roadmap as stipulated by the Association Agreement; starting gradual Approximation as set by AA; stakeholders capacity building; ensuring right holders from both Parties a high level of protection of IPR and adequate measures to enforce such rights; ensuring proper functioning of the judicial system to guarantee access to justice for right holders and availability and effective implementation of sanctions; taking measures to increase public awareness in the field of intellectual and industrial property protection and ensuring effective dialogue with rights holders; ensuring that Georgia's institutional framework and relevant administrative capacity guarantee the effective implementation of the relevant legislation; enhancing dialogue on the experience in enforcement of the legislation in this area, as well as on other legislative developments related to competition; preparing for the implementation of commitments on transparency in trade-related policy-making and consideration of necessary mechanisms to be put in place in this regard; conducting seminars and other events for the wider public, aimed at explaining the implementation of the envisaged Association Agreement and the approximation process; providing information on the implementation of the Labor Code; promoting trade in forest products derived from sustainable managed forests, harvested in accordance with the domestic legislation of the country of harvest, which could include bilateral or regional agreements to that end; promoting the listing of species (including timber species) under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) where the conservation status of those species is considered at risk; exchanging information on measures to promote the consumption of timber and timber products from sustainable managed forests and, where relevant, cooperate to developing such measures; adopting measures to promote the conservation of forest cover and combat illegal logging and related trade, including with respect to third countries, as appropriate; exchanging information on actions for improving forest governance and where relevant cooperating to maximize the impact and ensure the mutual supportiveness of their respective policies aiming at excluding illegally harvested timber and timber products from trade flows; cooperating at the regional and the global levels with the aim of promoting the conservation of forest cover and the sustainable management of all types of forests; discussing the future implementation of the commitments under the Chapter with regard to stakeholder involvement and civil society dialogue and Exchanging best practices and relevant experience in this regard; cooperation on the development of the future international climate change framework under the UNFCCC and its related agreements and decisions; strengthening the role of regulatory authorities to regulate the gas and electricity market; organization of markets with a view to achieving competitive, secure and environmentally sustainable conditions and shall not discriminate between enterprises as regards rights or obligations; and transit obligation for operators.