New funding announced by the EU for supporting agriculture and for building institutional capacity in Georgia

In order to help modernising Georgia's agriculture, the European Commission announced the allocation of new EU funding to this country's programme. It will also help to build up the institutions responsible for preparing its political association and economic integration with the EU.

The European Commission announced that new funding to modernise Georgia's agriculture, as well as build up the institutions responsible for preparing its political association and economic integration with the EU, will be allocated to this country. It will provide support to Georgia's agriculture sector, with a particular focus on small farmers’ associations, and on the other hand, will promote institutional reform in Georgia. In June 2012, the Commission started a visa liberalisation dialogue with Georgia.

The new funding will provide support to Georgia's agriculture sector, with a particular focus on small farmers’ associations. It will help prepare government institutions to respond more effectively to the needs of the rural economy. It will also support private farmers’ associations, strengthen cooperation among farmers, and increase food safety through training and technical advice.

The second part of the programme will promote institutional reform in Georgia and strengthen the state institutions which have the job of preparing and implementing the EU-Georgia Association Agreements and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (a new partnership set up to help liberalise trade in the area). This includes sharing advice and providing support to institutions which coordinate the negotiations, as well as equipping institutions such as the National Food Agency with specialised laboratories to fulfil future obligations under the Agreements; in particular to respect European norms and standards.