PMC Research Director Discusses the EU Neighborhood Policy in the Context of EU-Georgia Economic Relations

On June 25, Dr. Giorgi Khishtovani, Director at PMC Research, participated in the German EU Pre-Presidency Conference entitled “Shaping the Future of Europe,” which was dedicated to debating current EU issues, and was organized by the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) and the Institute for European Politics (IEP).

The conference brought together high-level experts and representatives of civil society who covered topics such as the EU after Brexit, the European Green Deal, enlargement policy and social policy, institutional reforms as part of COVID-19 crisis management, migration policy, and the EU’s external relations.

During the conference, Dr. Khishtovani discussed EU-Georgia economic relations under the panel “EU Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy,” with the specific attention paid to the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), as it serves as an excellent opportunity for the country to integrate economically with Europe.

“Georgia’s economy is not competitive enough to fully enjoy the benefits of the DCFTA. Hence, further structural reforms are required to make Georgian goods and services more accessible on the EU-market, while at the same time more political integration is also necessary,” said Dr. Khishtovani.