It is now in the hands of Georgia to do what is necessary to take the next step through inclusive and cross-party cooperation, in order to advance on its European path, reads the Association Implementation Report on Georgia.
According to the document, further efforts are also needed to ensure enhanced respect of fundamental rights, including the need to guarantee a professional and pluralistic and independent media environment and gender equality.
“In the course of 2021 and the first half of 2022, approximation with EU law broadly continued. However concerns remain in the key areas of rule of law (including the judiciary) and governance, and human rights have suffered significant setbacks. The EU continued to stand by Georgia, taking unprecedented and substantial action to assist Georgia in dealing with the COVID-19 sanitary and socio-economic crisis.
On 23 June 2022, the European Council granted Georgia a European perspective, and expressed readiness to grant candidate status once the priorities specified in the Commission’s Opinion on Georgia’s membership application have been addressed. This is a historic moment in EU-Georgia relations. It is now in the hands of Georgia to do what is necessary to take the next step through inclusive and cross-party cooperation, in order to advance on its European path. The European Union will continue to support Georgia in this endeavour. The European Commission will report on the implementation of the priorities as part of the enlargement 17 package from 2023 onwards. In addition, by the end of 2022, the Commission will present its assessment on the ability of Georgia to assume the obligations of membership.
A renewed and serious commitment to democratic consolidation, judicial reforms, and action to reduce political polarisation and to strengthen the rule of law, in line with the 2021-2027 Association Agenda, will be key. Further efforts are also needed to ensure enhanced respect of fundamental rights, including the need to guarantee a professional and pluralistic and independent media environment and gender equality. These are essential priorities for Georgia to advance on its European path.
Finally, it will be crucial to ensure inclusive, green and sustainable growth and to make further progress on digitalisation and digital literacy. The additional staffing and expanded mandate of the Labour Inspectorate form an opportunity to strengthen supervision of labour safety and labour rights. Structural reforms remain crucial to making Georgia’s economy less vulnerable to external developments and shocks, and to improve the country’s investment climate and trade potential. The Eastern Partnership economic and investment plan and the multiannual indicative programme both offer excellent frameworks for making such progress”, reads the document.
