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Georgia-European Union Relations

Georgia wants to join the European Union. That may be far off, but Georgians know in Europe today 90 percent of school children study English. After nearly two centuries of rule by Moscow, Georgia made a key linguistic switch in 2010. English now is mandatory for all students, Russian is optional.

Georgia’s stage-by-stage integration into the European Union represents one of the most important directions of the nation’s political and economic development. Deepening cooperation with the EU supports the further strengthening of Georgia’s democratic institutions and security, as well as its economic integration with the EU.

Broadening institutional frameworks of cooperation with the EU was important for Georgia. Georgia strives to achieve the Four Freedoms (free movement of people, goods, services, and capital) with the EU. Georgia considers the European Neighborhood Policy and Eastern Partnership as important factors contributing to Georgia’s integration into the EU.

Georgia attached particular importance to the successful implementation of the visa simplification and readmission agreements with the EU, as well as the initiatives included in the Mobility Partnership framework. Georgia aimed to further liberalize the visa regime with the EU and to ultimately achieve visa-free travel. The development of sectoral cooperation with the EU in energy security, transport, education, culture, and other spheres was important for Georgia.

Georgia placed special emphasis on more active EU involvement in resolving the Russian-Georgian conflict. It was important that the EU and other members of the international community have recognized the occupation of Georgian territory by the Russian Federation. Hence, Georgia welcomed resolution to this effect of the European Parliament adopted on November 17, 2011.

Georgia welcomed the EU’s goal of achieving greater engagement and cooperation with Russia. At the same time, Georgia believed that such a policy can be productive only if it facilitated the establishment of a Russian foreign policy of peaceful coexistence with its neighbors and respect for their sovereignty, as well as the development of democracy in Russia.

The appointment in July 2003 of a European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus (EUSR) underpins the intention of the EU for actively contributing to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the South Caucasus and for deepening EU relations with Georgia and the other two countries of the region, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia made manifest to the EU the requirement to ensure transatlantic unity on security challenges not only by enhancing the existing transatlantic consultative fora, but by better structuring the U.S.-EU dialogue and building transatlantic consensus before the EU determines a course of action. It was of principal importance to Georgia that the EU, as the mediator of the Russian- Georgian Ceasefire Agreement of August 12, 2008, exercise effective influence on the Russian Federation to fulfill the norms of international law and the international obligations it has undertaken.

Georgia launched negotiations with the EU on an Association Agreement to achieve a higher level of political association and economic integration with the EU, including the development of deep and comprehensive free trade relations. In May 2010, the EU agreed a negotiating mandate for an Association Agreement with Georgia, an important part of the developing EU relationship with Georgia envisaged under the Eastern Partnership. Securing visa facilitation, readmission and an aviation agreement marked significant progress in 2010. Georgia also pushed for negotiations to open on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA).

The EU and Georgia completed the negotiation of an Association Agreement (AA), including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) element, in July 2013 and initialled the Agreement at the Eastern Partnership Vilnius Summit of November 2013. Both sides hope that work on the texts can be completed in order to allow for their signature in 2014, before the end of the current Commission's mandate.

Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine signed free trade agreements 26 June 2014 with the European Union. The three will enjoy lucrative free trade with all 28 EU members as long as their goods and services meet EU standards. The agreement also deepens political cooperation with the EU and bars the former Soviet states from entering into similar deals with Moscow. Russia warned of serious consequences for what it called "economic aggression."