The Parliament considered amendments to the Law on Grants during a plenary session at an accelerated pace, approving them in the first reading with the support of 83 MPs, the Parliament’s press service informed.

Tornike Cheishvili, First Deputy Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee, explained that under the draft law, grants issued within the framework of the European Union’s Research and Innovation Program Horizon Europe, the EU’s Erasmus+ Program, the German Academic Exchange Service, and the Creative Europe Program between Georgia and the European Union will no longer require prior approval from the government.

He noted that the law further clarifies the concept of a grant. Specifically, the proposed amendments will also categorise technical or expert assistance, knowledge sharing, and other similar contributions as grants. The amendments also introduce technical clarifications concerning the permissible areas for fund utilisation, including sectors such as humanitarian aid, defence, and security. Additionally, the list of entities authorised to grant funds is being refined.

The April amendment to the Law on Grants established a mechanism for obtaining government or authorised person’s approval for foreign grants, thereby strengthening legal safeguards for protecting national sovereignty. Since its enactment, certain practical issues have emerged that require further clarification to make the administration of related processes more flexible and efficient.

Notably, certain programs involve grants that inherently pose a lower risk to the country’s sovereignty and security and, therefore, may be exempt from the standard approval procedures. Furthermore, existing regulations include exceptions, particularly in the fields of education and science,” Cheishvili added.