The EU Delegation to Georgia and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) will organize a Workshop on "How to export to the European Union", which will take place in Tbilisi on Monday 28 June at 10h00 hours, at the GTZ premises (German House).

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.

On 7 July 2009, EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) and the Advisory Business Council of the International School of Economics at TSU (ISET) organized a joint seminar on Energy Policy in a Global World at ISET Conference Hall.

Since 2007 the Office of the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration organizes regular semi-annual conferences 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.

On June 17 BP Europe organized the presentation of the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2009 delivered by Dr. Christof Rühl, BP Chief Economist (Dr. Rühl‘s presentation see attached). The annual BP Statistical Review provides a wide range of data on global markets for primary energies. Dr. Rühl discussed the current status of the energy market in light of the world economic crisis and gave outlook on possible future developments.

On Monday, June 8, the American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia (AmCham Georgia) and EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) organized a special roundtable meeting with the Minister of Finance, Kakha Baindurashvili. The meeting took place at Sheraton Metechi Palace Hotel.

The EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) in partnership with the French Business Council (FBC) is welcoming a trade delegation from Lorraine, Wallonia and Luxembourg on 27^th and 28^th of May 2009 in Tbilisi.

Expo 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China and is a scheduled World Expo in the grand tradition of international fairs and expositions. The theme of the exposition will be "Better City – Better Life" and signifies Shanghai's new status in the 21st century as a major economic and cultural center. It is expected to generate the largest number of visitors in the history of the world's fairs in terms of gross numbers.

On February 6, 2009, EUGBC held its Members meeting with H.E. Ivan Jestrab, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Georgia at EUGBC member TBC Bank’s office. The meeting with the Ambassador was particularly important as the Czech Republic now holds the presidency in the European Union. At the meeting with the Ambassador, EUGBC Members discussed the Council’s role in EU-Georgia relations and cooperation possibilities with the Czech Embassy in Tbilisi. Besides, discussion was held with respect to current political and economic trends in the EU, as well as in one of its Member State Czech Republic and the priorities of Czech Presidency in the EU for coming six months.

The EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC), in the framework of the project supported by the European Union, organized a seminar for the Georgian exporters: What the Georgian Exporters Should Know to Access EU Market. The goal of the seminar was to raise Georgian entrepreneurs’ awareness about the standards and requirements in the trade with EU. The seminar was held on December 12, at the Auditorium of the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University.

On December 3, 2008, Kote Zaldastanishvili, Secretary General of EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) participated in the Business Breakfast titled "Czech Presidency Business Priorities”. The event was hold in the premises of the Czech Center in Brussels and was organized by CEBRE - Czech Business Representation to the EU in cooperation with Czech Permanent Representation to the EU.

On December 1, 2008, Kote zaldastanishvili, Secretary General of the EUGBC participated in the discussion – "Georgia’s Future with the European Union and NATO” – with Grigol Mgaloblishvil, Prime Minister of Georgia, Eka Tkeshelashvili, Foreign Minister of Georgia, Robert Cooper, Director General for External and Politico-Military Affairs, Council of the EU and Jamie Shea, Director of Policy Planning, Private Office of the NATO Secretary General. The discussion was organized by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. and took place in Crowne Plaza Hotel, Brussels.

On December 1, 2008, Kote Zaldastanishvili, Secretary General of EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) participated in the European Policy Centre (EPC) joint EU Neighbourhood Forum and Migration and Integration Forum meeting on "EU Visa Policy towards EU Eastern Neighbours: challenges and opportunities”. The meeting was organized by the European Policy Centre and the King Baudouin Foundation. It took place at the EPC Conference Room in Brussels and was followed by drinks reception.

On December 2, 2008, the Secretary General of the EUGBC, Kote Zaldastanishvili participated in the conference "European Neighborhood Policy – interregional cooperation as a road towards the efficient support to democratic transition process in Georgia”. Conference was organized by the Wielkopolska region of Poland and took place at the Committee of the Regions of the EU.

On November 25^th the presentation and discussion took place with BP Managing Director Iain Conn on the subject of Energy Trends and Climate - the road ahead for governments and business.

A Round Table on "Alternative Solutions to the Abkhazia Conflict” was organized by the European Policy Centre (EPC), in collaboration with the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) in Ljubljana (agenda of the Round Table see attached) on Monday, 24^th November.

The European Commission’s services Fact-Finding Trade Mission to Georgia took place on October 13-15, 2008. The Mission aimed to assess the needs of the country for a future deep and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The first ever "European Parliament of Enterprises” (EPE), organised by EUROCHAMBRES and its network or Chambers of Commerce, took place in the hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels on October 14, 2008.  The EPE is the first event giving the floor on political subjects directly to businesses.

The Georgian Evening in Brussels was organized by Georgian Cultural Centre in Brussels with support of the French-Speaking Community of Belgium on November 9, 2008.

MEP Marie Anne Isler Béguin and MEP Milan Horacek hosted the conference "Which mobility between neighbours” on July 1, 2008 at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. The objective was to examine the obvious contradiction of the principles governing the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP): on one side opening, and one the other strengthening of the borders of the EU.

On July 9^th, The EU-Georgia Business Council organized its members meeting with Ambassador Per Eklund, Head of the European Commission Delegation to Georgia to discuss the Georgia’s ongoing relations with the European Union. The issues discussed included:

On February 26 EUGBC organized a seminar on Commercial Dispute Resolution in Emerging Markets: Anticipating Risks and Limiting Liability presented by its member WHITE & CASE LLP.  Representatives form business community, Government, NGO-s and media attended the event.

The 9-th edition of Belgian wine fare MEGAVINO took place in Brussels on October 19-22. More than 250 exhibitors presented 10 thousand wines from 21 countries and more than 20.000 people visited the fare.

EU-Georgia Business Council was one of the supporters of the concert by the Caucasian Chamber Orchestra that was held in the Royal Conservatory Hall of Brussels on October 8.

EUGBC members met with Gia Baramidze, Vice Prime Minister, State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration on July 5 and discussed outcomes of a high level international conference on the implementation of European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan in Georgia.

European Investment Bank (EIB) representative Constantin Synadino met with EUGBC members on June 20 to discuss issues regarding the framework agreement between Georgia and EIB and how it will affect the business environment

During this event the EUGBC members and representatives of the European Commission had a chance to exchange their views

In mid March the EUGBC organized 2 wine testing events in Brussels for 9 Georgian wine and spirit companies and both events produced positive results. 

On 31 January, the EUGBC organized a discussion on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), aimed at promoting trade and economic cooperation between Georgia and the EU.

The EUGBC Secretary General Ambassador Konstantin Zaldastanishvili participated in the "Business Comes to Parliament" Forum at the Parliament of Georgia.

On Wednesday, October 18 2006, in Tbilisi , the Secretary General of the EUGBC Mr. Konstantin Zaldastanishvili, in presence of the journalists and business community, together with other parties, has signed the Memorandum of Understanding between Georgian National Investment Agency (GNIA) and Business Associations (see attached).

One of the main priorities of EU-Georgia cooperation is to assist with the successful integration of the Georgian economy into the European and global economic system and subsequently, the achievement of sustainable economic growth.