EU-Georgia Business Council is happy to announce that Gvinadze & Partners Law Firm has joined EUGBC members’ network as a Corporate A Member. Nick Gvinadze, formerly a partner with DLA Piper Gvinadze & Partners LP, has re-launched his legal practice separately as Gvinadze & Partners LLC.

A key element in Norwegian alcohol policy has been to remove the private profit motive from sales of wine, spirits and strong beer. As a result, VINMONOPOLET that was founded in 1922, is wholly owned by the state, subordinated to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

On October 9 a special inter-organizational AmCham-EUGBC SME committee was formed. AmCham and EU-Georgia Business Council are closely collaborating with representatives from the Center for Solidarity, UNDP, Eurasia Partnership foundation, Business and Economic Center and other members of the committee. Kakha Kokhreidze from Center for Solidarity was appointed as Executive Secretary of the committee. On December 17 the committee will hold a press briefing to communicate the formation of the SME committee to general public.

On October 19^th EUGBC Secretary General, Konstantin Zaldastanishvili met the Minister of Economic Development, Zurab Pololikashvili. The discussion referred to Georgia’s current economic state. The parties to the meeting also spoke about the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with EU and its implications on the development of Georgian economy. In addition, the role of business associations and particularly EUGBC in economic development and in supporting business community in the country was discussed.

On October 9, several international organizations and business associations gathered in the office of Amcham-Georgia to discuss the first steps towards creating an Inter-organizational Small Business Committee (SME Committee). The founders of the Committee include EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC), Amcham-Georgia, Civil Movement "Solidarity”, UNDP Global Compact Project, International Association of Business and Parliament, Business and Economic Center, others.

On September 30, the European Union released its statement on presentation of the report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia. In the statement the EU also recalls that a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflicts in Georgia must be based on full respect for the principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity as recognised by international law.

EU-Georgia Business Council has concluded its project: Publications and Seminars on EU-Georgia Trade (Tacis/2007/147285) supported by the Delegation of European Commission to Georgia. In the framework of the project, EUGBC has carried out three regional seminars on What Georgian Exporters Should Know to Access EU Market. The seminars were held in Tbilisi, Telavi and in Batumi and focused on the important topics, such as: European Economic Area; Tariff and non-tariff barriers; EU’s General Systems of Preferences (GSP+) for Georgia; Online EU help-desk for the third country exporters; etc. 

On 17th of September, European Parliament adopted a resolution, which urges the European Commission and the Council of the European Union for more decisive actions in order to prevent the future disruptions of energy security in Europe.

The Meeting of General Affairs and External Relations Council of the European Union held on September 15th in Brussels. The Foreign Ministers of EU Member States exchanged their views on how to enhance bilateral relations with Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in frames of EU’s Eastern Partnership initiative.

Since 2007 the Office of the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration organizes regular semi-annual international conferences entitled The European Way of Georgia - Georgia’s European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan Implementation, in order to demonstrate progress, achievements and challenges of the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan (ENP AP) implementation process in Georgia, which enable both the Government and its European partners to have an active dialogue on all the ENP AP issues. The 6^th conference was held in Tbilisi on February 11-12, 2010.

On February 11th, EU-Georgia Business Council and its Member Rakia Georgia, in cooperation with Business Association of Georgia (BAG) and Amcham Georgia, organized a joint event on Poti Free Industrial Zone (FIZ) presentation.

AmCham - EUGBC inter-organizational SME committee announced the formation of the committee at a press event on Thursday, December 17, at the Radisson SAS Iveria Hotel.

EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC), in the framework of the project supported by the European Union, organized a seminar: "What Georgian Exporters Should Know to Access EU Market” in Batumi. The seminar took place on September 24^th, at the Office of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Adjara Autonomous Republic.

Rakeen Development Georgia is participant of a global four day networking exhibition, Cityscape Dubai, dedicated to the real estate industry. This annual exhibition takes place in Dubai from 5^th to 8^th October, 2009.

In 2008-2009 with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Civil Movement "Solidarity” implements a project on SME issues. The organization has carried out a case study and also held meetings with the representatives of government, entrepreneurs, experts, organizations of economic profile, etc. A draft law on "Small Business” was prepared based on these studies and meetings. The draft law has already been presented to the parliament of Georgia as a legislative proposal.

A two day seminar - "Georgian and EU Legislative Requirements on Food Safety” was organized by Eurasia Partnership Foundation on September 3-4, in Akhaltsikhe (Samtskhe Javakheti  Region of Georgia).

EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC), with the support of the European Union, has organized a regional seminar on "What Georgian Exporters Should Know to Access EU Market”. The seminar took place on July 31^st from 14:00 to 17:00 at 77 Alazani Ave., Telavi. 

The UNDP and the Global Compact Initiative, in the course of their series of events on the issues relevant to inclusive development of Georgia, have launched a public dialogue to address the issues related to private sector and its development in the country. In the scope of these events, UNDP has commissioned a series of discussion papers by Georgian and international experts, to serve as the basis for dialogue, help jointly define priority actions, and determine what the next steps should be.