EBA Legal Committee Meeting Focuses on Important Business Sector Issues

Members and partners of the European Business Association (EBA) Legal Committee gathered at the USAID National Governance Program office to discuss essential topics relevant to the business sector in Georgia. The meeting fostered valuable discussions, highlighting the significance of effective public-private collaboration.  

The Association of Georgian Virtual Zone Persons actively participated in this important meeting. As part of the public-private dialogue, the Association shared its journey, underscoring the critical role of engagement of partners, sectoral associations and the private sector in this process. The Association’s history includes productive engagements with Parliament, the Business Ombudsman, and representatives of the Ministry of Finance. These efforts exemplify a well-structured Public-Private dialogue process that has led to significant achievements, including the removal of fines imposed on Association members, ensuring their continued stability and smooth operation. The Association’s experience was highlighted as a successful case during the discussions.  

The event opened with remarks by Richard Haselwood, Chief of Party of the USAID National Governance Program; Tyler Green, Democracy and Governance Specialist at USAID; and Dr. George Svanadze, Chairperson of the EBA Legal Committee. They emphasized the importance of aligning governance frameworks with business needs to foster sustainable economic development.  

Attendees were also introduced to the Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) report, presented by Nana Tsertsvadze and Ketevan Babiashvili of the National Governance Program. The report offered insights and recommendations to enhance cooperation between the public and private sectors. The session concluded with a Q&A and open discussion facilitated by Nini Panjikidze, a business engagement specialist at USAID, who provided participants with the opportunity to address challenges and exchange ideas for further improving the business environment in Georgia.