Italian-Georgian Business Forum 2017 to be held in Rome
By Mariam Chanishvili
Thursday, February 23
In order to deepen economic and trade relations between Italy and Georgia and to promote different business projects, the Italian-Georgian Business Forum 2017 will be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy in Rome on March 8.
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, as well as other government officials and a Georgian delegation will be attending this forum, along with representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Back in November 2016, during a visit to Georgia, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries delivered a public speech on “Italian-Georgian Relations and the Future of Europe”. The meeting was jointly organized by the Italian Embassy to Georgia and the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS).
"The Italy-Georgia Business Forum scheduled in our country next year will also help to better business communication between the countries and will show Italian business people that they have huge business opportunities in Georgia,” said one of the Italian officials.
In the frameworks of the Forum from the Italian side, some private companies will be presented as well as some internationally-known business companies, such as Confindustria, ICE, SACE, SIMEST, and Unioncamera.
Italian companies are presented in many different spheres in Georgia, including the energy, infrastructure and tourism fields. Georgia has made some important steps in order to create a beneficial situation for European businesses to invest in the country, and with a highly strategic geographical location situated between Europe and Central Asia, Georgia looks like a very attractive country for foreign investors.
After signing the Association Agreement (AA), more European business people have shown interest in investing in Georgia.
The EU and Georgia signed an Association Agreement on 27 June 2014, and entered into force on July 1 2016. The agreement introduces a preferential trade regime in the form of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). This regime increases market access between the EU and Georgia based on having better-matched regulations.
In addition, Georgia has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 2000.
