Georgia’s European Perspective: New Impetus for Institutional and Quotidian Integration

On June 23rd of 2022, the European Council awarded to Georgia the Perspective of EU membership, expressing readiness to grant Georgia the candidate status once the priorities outlined by the European Commission are implemented. With this decision, Georgia’s European future and the process of EU membership have become irreversible.

Russian aggression against Ukraine provided a new impetus for EU enlargement. A political consensus has been reached among EU institutions, its member states and societies to admit the three members of the “Associated Trio” – Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova – into the Union, along with other candidate states. The statements made by the leadership of the EU institutions and its member states attest to this political consensus. The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, addressed the populations of Western Balkan states, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia with the following message: “… You are a part of our family, your future is in our Union and our Union is incomplete without you.”1 The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, noted in turn that “… We are the people of Europe; our voice must be heard across all of Europe, from the Mediterranean to the North Sea, from Lisbon to Tbilisi and beyond.”2

Considering the new geopolitical circumstances, Georgia is motivated to adequately exploit the opportunities created as a result of gaining the European Perspective; increase diplomatic efforts in terms of institutional and sectoral integration; lay the foundation for the formulation of a joint agenda of the aspirant states and, most importantly, raise awareness among the Georgian public regarding the benefits of European integration.

Teimuraz Janjalia

Georgia’s European Perspective: New Stage, New Opportunities

Having received the European Perspective, Georgia became an official part of the EU’s enlargement policy. Starting from 2023, reports concerning Georgia, along with other candidate states, will be prepared as part of the enlargement package. The reports will assess the degree of implementation of the priorities issued by the European Commission for Georgia, which will serve as the basis for making the decision regarding granting Georgia the candidate status, and, subsequently, opening accession negotiations.

The European Commission also plans to publish another report toward the end of 2022, assessing the degree of Georgia’s legal and institutional harmonisation with the EU. Additionally, Georgia continues to implement the priorities outlined in the Association Agreement (which also includes the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement) and the New Association Agenda (2021-2027), which will increase Georgia’s compatibility with the Copenhagen Criteria. Georgia has currently implemented approximately 50% of the obligations outlined in the Association Agreement.

Along with the goal of achieving EU membership, the following remain short-term, medium-term and long-term priorities for Georgia in its relations with the EU: receiving the candidate status and opening accession negotiations; elevation of institutional and sectoral cooperation to a new level; increasing connectivity with the EU, and emphasising the strategic value of Georgia for the union.

Receiving the candidate status and opening accession negotiations

Georgia presented an action plan for the implementation of the priorities necessary for receiving the candidate status, as soon as they were outlined by the European Commission. It is important that the priorities are implemented in an open, inclusive, transparent manner; ensuring utmost civil society engagement, tight coordination among state institutions and, most importantly, meaningful participation of political parties represented in the Georgian Parliament.

The formulation of the whole-of-state approach will act as the central pillar in terms of receiving the candidate status and achieving further progress in EU-Georgian relations, including the opening of accession negotiations. This process entails the necessity for the country to demonstrate democratic readiness on every new stage of its relations with the EU – having fully functional, democratic institutions, ensuring the rule of law and engaging the civil society in the decision-making.

Institutional cooperation and sectoral integration

In terms of institutional cooperation, tangible economic and increasing sectoral integration with the EU are of particular significance, providing Georgian citizens and businesses with the opportunity to use, inter alia, the new economic, social, educational and cultural capabilities created as a result of further integration with the EU – the largest trading partner for Georgia.

In terms of economic integration, the incorporation of Georgia into the EU’s Public Procurement Market and the submission of the membership application (currently under consideration) for the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) are notable events. Georgia is already an associated state of EU’s customs and taxation programme “Fiscalis”. Additionally, Georgia has applied to join the free roaming zone of the EU, as well as the Single Market programme.

In terms of sectoral integration, Georgia continues to actively cooperate with such EU agencies as “Frontex”, “Europol”, and “Eurojust”. Georgia is engaged in the renewed “Creative Europe” and “Horizon Europe” programs, boosting Georgia’s integration into the EU across the fields of education, science, and culture. Georgia aspires to become an associated state of the “Erasmus+” programme. Simultaneously, consultations are underway to deepen cooperation with the European Defence Agency by means of signing an administrative agreement. On November 15th of 2022, the EU granted Georgia, along with Ukraine and Moldova, the status of an observing participant within the Transport Community in order to ensure regular engagement in transport integration efforts.

Increasing connectivity with the EU via the Black Sea

Boosting connectivity with the EU represents Georgia’s unyielding priority, including by implementing the flagship initiatives of the Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) within the framework of the Eastern Partnership Initiative.

Such flagship initiatives will in turn boost interdependency between Georgia and the EU. Laying internet and electricity cables on the bottom of the Black Sea will further solidify the digital and energy connections, while the increase in the quantity of ferried goods and improvement of port infrastructure will ensure direct transport communication with the EU, strengthening economic, trade and people-to-people relations. Additionally, Georgia’s role as a regional centre coonnecting Europe and Asia will also increase.

Georgia’s contribution to the EU

Along with securing benefits, the path towards European integration also entails a contribution to be made on behalf of Georgia to the EU’s security and prosperity. In this regard, it is important that Georgia’s fundamental values align with those of the EU both before and after becoming a member.

Additionally, Georgia became a party to the EU’s Energy Community in 2017 and, acting as a transit hub, could play an active role in ensuring energy security of Europe, especially against the backdrop of the energy crisis caused by Russia’s aggression perpetrated against Ukraine. Georgia can also ensure secure, bilateral transport communication with the EU.

It is noteworthy that the EU expresses unwavering support towards Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, supporting the maintenance of the country’s stability, including by means of the EUMM and active participation in the regulatory mechanisms of the Russo-Georgian conflict. In turn, Georgia participates in EU’s peacekeeping mission, ensuring global security alongside European allies, which deepens cooperation with the union across the fields of defence and security, including by means of conducting the High-Level Strategic Security Dialogue. Aid received within the framework of the European Peace Facility increases Georgia’s defence capabilities and resilience of the armed forces. Georgia aspires to remain a responsible security actor in region, protecting its sovereignty and ensuring resilience of Georgia’s state and society in case of external aggression.

At this new level of relations with the EU, Georgia’s priorities are as follows – strengthening of the “Associated Trio” format, determining a common agenda of European integration with the Western Balkan nations, and utilizing the opportunities derived from the Eastern Partnership and European Political Community to advance the goal of EU membership.

Strengthening the “Associated Trio”

The EU and the members of the “Associated Trio” must work toward solidifying the format for two reasons:

  1. Geopolitically, the challenges faced by the three countries in question differ from those of the Western Balkan nations. Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are the main targets for Russia’s imperialist policies, which requires appropriate support of the EU;
  2. The path towards Europeanisation taken by the aforementioned three states and the attendant challenges are similar in nature. Naturally, this does not overlook the individual, merit-based progress made by the three countries in terms of future relations with the EU. However, it is important that the EU maintains a united approach towards Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova within the framework of EU enlargement, as well as during the new stages of institutional cooperation and sectoral integration prior to membership.

Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova must stride towards institutionalisation of the new format of dialogue between the EU and the “Associated Trio”, providing the three countries with the opportunity to discuss the integratory agenda and the common path on the highest political level regularly. Participation of the three countries in the informal institutional meetings of the EU represents a welcomed practice, which must be further solidified. The countries must in turn strengthen cooperation with the EU, in order to benefit from the new financial mechanisms, such as The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA).

The common European integration agenda with the Western Balkan nations

It is important for Georgia to strengthen relations with Western Balkan states in terms of sharing their vast experience along the path towards membership, especially concerning the following issues: the new methodology of enlargement, pre-accession sectoral integration with the EU and the rational utilization of the EU’s financial assistance, including of IPA. It is noteworthy that such coordination and experience sharing is already actively taking place, in accordance with the readiness of the Balkan nations, both on the level of Ministries of Foreign Affairs and within the framework of relevant EU representations. It is necessary to solidify the said process and make it of regular nature.

Along with individual ties, it is important to cooperate with the Western Balkan states as part of the “Associated Trio” format. For this purpose, the institutionalisation of a new format would provide a significant precedent for experience sharing along the path towards European integration, as well as for political solidarity between future members.

Compatibility of the Eastern Partnership and European Political Community

The Eastern Partnership Initiative brought Georgia tangible results, such as the signing of the Association Agreement, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, strengthening economic and trade ties, as well as educational and cultural relations with the EU. Additionally, Georgian citizens were granted visa-free travel in the Schengen Area in 2017, solidifying people-to-people relations.

Georgia considers the Eastern Partnership Initiative and the European Political Community as complementary mechanisms for European integration. The initiatives existing within the framework of the Eastern Partnership play a significant role in the strengthening of economic and social ties with the EU, as well as in enhancing regional connectivity, whereas the European Political Community provides a platform for wider geopolitical cooperation and coordination among the participating states.

Since the signing of the Association Agreement, the Government of Georgia (hereafter referred to as GoG) conducts daily strategic communication with the public regarding the process of European integration, aiming to provide first-hand information about EU values, the benefits that accompany European integration, as well as to address challenges associated with the aforementioned process. Such strategic communication is important in terms of forming appropriate expectations, thus, maintaining public support for the process of European integration.

The necessity of targeted strategic communication became even clearer after Georgia received the European Perspective. Along with the significant action taken in terms of keeping the public informed regarding Georgia’s European integration, it is fundamental for strategic communication to reach every member of public across all municipalities, especially those vulnerable to anti-Western disinformation.

By receiving the European Perspective, EU-Georgian relations were elevated to a new stage, which requires joint external and internal efforts to reach the goal of further EU integration.

In the short-term, it is important for Georgia to receive the candidate status, utilize the additional financial instruments, and open accession talks within a reasonable timeframe. In the medium-term perspective, it is important to reach the top level of economic and sectoral integration with the EU, which would open up new, multifaceted opportunities for Georgian businesses and citizens. Georgia’s ultimate goal is full EU membership, with democracy, the rule of law and sharing EU’s values acting as the necessary preconditions.

In order to reach the aforementioned goal, the following is of pivotal importance: strengthening physical and digital connectivity between Georgia and the EU, strategically utilizing existing formats of cooperation and striving toward establishing new formats, providing the process of European integration of the members of the “Associated Trio” with a new impetus.

Strengthening strategic communication within the country would provide the public with relevant information regarding the EU, helping the population to benefit from the existing progress in terms of Georgia’s relations with the EU, and simultaneously, creating appropriate expectations for future stages of European integration.

[1] European Commission. 2022. “2022 State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen.” September 14, 2022. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_22_5493

[2] Agenda.ge. 2022. “German chancellor: We are people of Europe, our voice must resound throughout Europe, from Lisbon to Tbilisi, beyond.” October 16, 2022. https://agenda.ge/en/news/2022/4013

* Teimuraz Janjalia – Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia

Contents
A Collection of Analytical Articles, № 3

Foreword

Georgia’s European Perspective: New Impetus for Institutional and Quotidian Integration

Teimuraz Janjalia

The West’s Response to Russia’s War against Ukraine – an Analysis of Military, Political, Economic and Normative Aspects

Giorgi Robakidze

The Contours of US-China Cold War and Competing Views on the International Order

Davit Pipinashvili

A New Wave of NATO Enlargement: Russian Response and Capabilities of Aspirant States

Irine Khuluzauri

The Integration Prospects of the EU’s Defence Sector amid Russia’s Military Aggression against Ukraine

Aleksi Iasashvili

Europe in Search of Strategic Autonomy against the Backdrop of a Shifting Security Environment

Lika Tchipashvili