State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Sven Giegold will be visiting Georgia from 19 to 22 June 2023 to hold talks on economic and EU policy. He will be accompanied by representatives of German companies during this year’s business initiation trip for the construction industry, the construction-related skilled crafts sector and construction materials in the context of the Ministry‘s Market Entry Programme for SMEs.

During his visit to Tbilisi together with the delegation, State Secretary Sven Giegold will be holding talks with representatives of Georgia’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, civil society and religious organisations. The topics will also include Georgia’s efforts to gain the status of an EU accession candidate and the related reforms and Germany’s support. The focus of the business initiation trip in the context of the Market Entry Programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is on specific matchmaking between participants from Germany and players in the target market. For this purpose, there will be individual meetings between possible cooperation partners and clients. Participating companies can thus present their products and services.

The Business Forum for companies of both countries provides an opportunity to contact enterprises on the spot. Visits to Georgian companies and specific projects will round off the programme.

Mr Giegold said: "Georgia is an important partner for us on its path towards the European Union. We support Georgia with our instruments to promote trade and investment, including export credit guarantees, investment guarantees and administrative partnerships. Use can also be made of the Manager Training Programme and the EU’s offers to modernise administrations in the context of twinning. I am delighted that German companies are underlining the interest of the German business community in working more closely together with Georgia. Georgia should continue its efforts to become even more attractive for investors. Important aspects include improvements in terms of the rule of law, the continuation of the country’s efforts to reform the legal system for this purpose, and the fight against corruption.

"We support Georgia’s wish to become a member of the European Union and the prospect for accession opened up by the EU. Compliance with the priorities set by the EU is a precondition for gaining the status of an accession candidate."

The focus of the visit is on strengthening the bilateral economic relations between the two countries and Georgia’s future in Europe.