Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili led a meeting of the EU Integration Commission today, the government’s press service reported.

Participants of the meeting reviewed and summarized the outcomes of the EU-Georgia Association Council meeting held in Brussels on March 16, deemed as successful against the background of unprecedented challenges caused by the pandemic. The Commission approved today a National EU Integration Action Plan of Georgia for 2021, which covers activities to be implemented within the scope of EU integration. Referred activities are tailored to the commitments and timelines defined in the EU-Georgia Association Agreement (AA) and Association Agenda, EU Directives, and Regulations.

The National Action Plan includes not only commitments assumed under the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and Agenda, but those laid out in the EU Integration Roadmap of Georgia and pledged towards the EU.

The Commission held a hearing of the report on the execution of the National EU Integration Action Plan of Georgia for 2020. It was noted that Georgia is successfully implementing reforms envisaged in the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and Association Agenda. It was highlighted also that significant reforms have been carried out towards legislative and institutional approximation, inter alia including such areas as human rights, employment and labor rights, gender equality, education and science, transport, energy, agriculture, environment, rural development, public procurement, and others.

One of the key topics of discussion at the Commission meeting today was the concept of measures to be carried out for making an application for EU membership in 2024. The referred concept paper aims to clearly depict all the comprehensive measures that need to be implemented and to identify the key priorities to help the country in getting prepared for the EU membership application by 2024. Directions envisaged in the concept paper include the consolidation of current reforms within the scope of EU integration, the foreign dimension of EU integration, and effective communication on the EU membership application.

Commission members also discussed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine on May 17, which officially establishes the format of the EU Association Trio. It is a logical continuation of an intensive joint effort carried out by all three countries over years and aims to have a common position on a whole array of topics when interacting with EU institutions and member states, including the future of Eastern Partnership (EaP).

Commission members discussed steps for the future and topics related to the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Brussels in December 2021, the statement reads.