Georgia: The Minister of Environment and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia, met Sandra Galina during a working visit to Brussels. Sandra Galina is the Director General of Health and Food Safety of the European Commission.
The meeting focused on the progress that Georgia has made on the way to European integration.
As Otar Shamugia noted, the Ministry is actively preparing for the next steps of Eurointegration to coordinate the implementation of the recommendations and elaborate the action plan of the European Commission on the November 11, 2023 enlargement policy communication document of the European Commission; a working group has already been established.
The group will identify all the events and needs that are necessary to implement these recommendations in an effective and timely manner.
Otar Shamugia said, “The EU market and the full use of the potential in this market is our priority. To maximise the market potential of the European Union, it is necessary to increase the competitiveness of local agro-food products. It is necessary to mention the important progress that Georgia has made in food safety and veterinary and plant protection, which is, in some parts, the merit of the Neighborhood Program. Georgia continues implementing the deep and comprehensive free trade area agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union.”
“We have already taken important steps to fulfil our obligations. “According to the Association Agreement, Georgia has been successfully approaching national legislation with EU legal acts in the field of veterinary, phytosanitary and food safety since 2015, and this process is written until 2028”, said Otar Shamugia.
The Director-General of Health and Food Safety of the European Commission thanked Otar Shamugia for providing detailed information, positively evaluating the steps taken regarding food safety, and expressing readiness for active cooperation.
The meeting was attended by First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture Nino Tandilashvili, Deputy Ambassador of Emergency and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Kingdom of Belgium Bidzina Javakhishvili and Deputy Head of the National Food Agency Vasil Basiladze.
