At the closing event of the EU project “Support to the Georgian Competition Agency” participants summarized the results of the three year EU assistance for the development of the sphere of Competition in Georgia. The Chairman of the Competition Agency of Georgia – Irakli Lekvinadze, the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development – Genadi Arveladze, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs – Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili and the Head of the Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to Georgia – Vincent Rey, delivered speeches at the event.
In order to strengthen competition enforcement in Georgia EU experts, among them officials from the Lithuanian Competition Council, worked intensively with the Competition Agency of Georgia and the other stakeholders. In particular, with the purpose of bringing Georgian legal framework closer to the European standards, they prepared recommendations for amendments to the law of Georgia on Competition and conducted seminars for different target groups. The project organized more than 40 training courses for raising capacities of the GCA staff, specific workshops for sector regulators and over 30 awareness-raising conferences for representatives of both public and private sector. Different guidelines were elaborated in the project framework. The project contributed to strengthening of GCA collaboration with international and local partners.
“We welcome draft amendments to the Competition Law that will bring it closer to EU standards for the benefit of business and citizens. We look forward to timely adoption by parliament” said Vincent Rey, the Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to Georgia.
“To improve competition enfircement in the country more than 100 activities have been implemented by the EU project “Support to the Georgian Competition Agency” and many important, effective and result oriented steps were taken. We would thank everyone involved in the project for the support and collaboration. Today, main challanges for the GCA is the need for efficient comprehensive legislation and high level of trust from undertakings, which would be defined by the results of cases accumulated over the years” – mentioned the Chairman of the Competition Agency of Georgia.
The Team Leader of the project Aurelio Antonio La Torre and invited experts spoke about activities implemented in the project framework and presented Glossary of Competition Terms and the Handbook on Judicial Review. Up to 100 guests representing state authorities, business sector, academy and civil society attended the closing ceremony of the Project.
