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Nino Tandilashvili Submits the 2024 Report and 2025 Action Plan on the Implementation of the Obligations Taken by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the Association Agreement.
At a joint field session of the Committees on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Agrarian Issues, and European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia, the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mrs Nino Tandilashvili, presented the Ministry's 2024 report and 2025 action plan for the implementation of obligations under the EU-Georgia Association Agreement.
In her address, Mrs. Tandilashvili emphasized the critical role of legislative approximation in the field of environmental protection, as outlined in the Association Agreement. She highlighted key components of the 2025 Environmental Action Plan, including recent amendments to the Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection aimed at establishing a comprehensive monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system.
According to the First Deputy Minister, legislative approximation has already been achieved with 21 out of the 27 environmental directives stipulated in the Agreement, with two additional legal acts currently under parliamentary review.
Tandilashvili provided a detailed overview of progress across several priority areas, including:
Protection of atmospheric air and biodiversity
Management of water resources, waste, chemicals, and protected areas
Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction
Nuclear and radiation safety
Fisheries and maritime governance
Institutional capacity building, control, and enforcement mechanisms
A substantial part of her presentation was dedicated to achievements in aligning trade-related legislation with EU standards under the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). Mrs Tandilashvili noted that significant progress has been made in the fields of food safety, veterinary medicine, and plant protection, with legislative approximation ongoing for 200 EU legal acts targeted for completion by 2028. Since 2014, 146 of these acts have already been aligned.
Mrs. Tandilashvili also addressed the importance of introducing advanced laboratory diagnostic methods, expanding accreditation frameworks, and strengthening the capabilities of the National Food Agency. These efforts, she said, are directly linked to enhancing food safety and ensuring seamless access to the EU market.
"The European Union Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) conducted an audit of Georgia’s hazelnut sector. The European Commission confirmed that the state control measures implemented in the sector are satisfactory, and as a result, trade is proceeding smoothly. Two priority products have been identified: aquaculture products and queen bees. The completed documentation required to open the EU market for these products has been submitted to the European Commission, where the review process is currently underway," said Nino Tandilashvili.
A joint field session of the Parliamentary Committees on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Agrarian Issues, and European Integration was held in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara at the Batumi City Council building.