Why GEORGIA

WHY GEORGIA

• Political context

• High standards

• European vocation

• Legislative measures

• Relations with international organizations

AREA OF INTEREST

• Hydropower and renewable energy

• Environment: water supply and treatment; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

• Plant, machinery and equipment

• Furniture and wood construction

• Agriculture, fisheries and forestry

• Food sector

• Tourism infrastructure, accommodation and catering

• Fashion clothing (including leather and fur)

WHY GEORGIA

Political context

In the current political context, Georgia offers the advantage of being probably the best positioned among the three countries of the South Caucasus to be able to apply to be an ideal base for investments or projects on regional scale (with a potential market of approximately 16 million inhabitants). In fact, it maintains excellent relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, while the latter have long suspended between their trade relations because of the frozen conflict “Nagorno-Karabakh”.

High standards

Prospective investors find in Georgia a place that, according to various international rankings, has the highest standards in the area in terms of respect for the law, fight against corruption and adherence to the principles of European integration, having made considerable progress in these areas in the days of the “Rose Revolution” (2003). Georgia occupies the eighth position in the “Ranking on the ease of doing business 2014″ drawn up by the World Bank and the 22nd place in the ranking of ‘”economic freedom” drawn from the “Heritage Foundation”.

European vocation

The Georgian civil society sees in the West an undisputed cultural benchmark even before the political and economic one: more and more widespread is the knowledge of the English language (the study of which is now mandatory from primary school), which is gradually adding to in the role of the Russian language. The language training options in the public schools of Georgia include the study of German, French, Italian, Spanish and Turkish as well.

Legislative measures

In the last few years have been issued legislative measures aimed at the promotion and protection of investments. The reforms in the ultra-liberal direction have sometimes raised questions with respect to their compatibility with the efforts to the regulation required in the negotiations on ‘” Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area ” (“DCFTA”) with the European Union signed on 27 June 2014. To complete the picture, applies a legislation particularly inspired by liberalism in customs matters, employment law and tax.

Relations with international organizations

Georgia is part of the World Trade Organization and benefiting from the Generalized System of Preferences “GSP Plus” granted by the European Union. Georgia is part of the countries included in the so-called “Eastern Partnership” between the EU and six countries of the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. The aim of the initiative is to promote a greater level of cooperation between these countries in some sectors (such as infrastructure, economic and trade relations, administrative standards).

[ultimatetables 3 /] *Fonte: Source: Embassy of Italy on data from EIU and IMF

Doing Business Index

AREAS OF INTEREST

Hydropower and renewable energy

One area that deserves most attention is hydroelectric, with great potential in Georgia thanks to massive water resources made available by the two mountain ranges of the North and South Caucasus.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the presence of 26,000 rivers, 300 of which are significant in terms of energy production, allows Georgia to have a hydropower potential estimated at 4.5 GW of installed capacity and more than 20 TW / h annual production. The same Department estimates that only 25% of the hydropower potential is used (as reported August 2012): for Tbilisi the construction of new infrastructure in this area is a priority.
Investment opportunities existing in the specific field are illustrated, on the Georgian side, by placing particular emphasis on the principle of “Build-Own-Operate”, under which foreign companies that build the plants will remain proprietary and are called to manage the energy produced.
We highlight interesting opportunities in the renewable energy as well, such as solar, biomass and wind power.

Environment: water supply and treatment; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

The Government that took office after the parliamentary elections of October 2012 stated the intention of wanting to focus efforts on improving the network of irrigation and drainage to revitalize the agricultural sector.
It is also elevated the need of modern water distribution and disposal infrastructures for civil use.
Important openings are present in the still almost unexplored field of collection, treatment and disposal of urban and industrial waste.

Plant, machinery and equipment

The Italian plant products and technology in general enjoy an excellent reputation in Georgia and there is certainly room for an increase in export from our Country: this is true for both the products that make up a typical expression of Italian style and those at high technological content ( plant, machinery, equipment, etc.).

Furniture and wood construction

Furniture is another sector that has benefited from the fame that generally enjoy in Georgia Italian products. As well, residential applications and ecological construction.

Agriculture, fisheries and forestry

The mildness of the climate, the fertility of the soil and abundance of water have traditionally made Georgia a country with a strong agricultural tradition, known in the former Soviet space for the variety and quality of its products and especially for its wine tradition and in the field of mineral waters. The Georgian agriculture suffers, however, certain structural difficulties, represented mainly by logistical shortcomings, from the modest level of knowledge and technology, and the fragmentation of land, with many individual small owners not associated, but mostly oriented on a family supporting production only. To be noted that the sector employs about half of the labor force in Georgia and in 2013 contributed to 9.3% of GDP.

Food sector

The many climate and farming similarities with Italy make it more possible collaborations, not only in growing sectors such as biologic farming, but also in sectors such as the cultivation / processing / marketing of fruit and vegetables, the dairy, food and wine, and fisheries. From the Georgian side is particularly advocated greater collaboration with local wineries, especially to share the experiences of promotion of Italian wines in important markets such as the United States. Of note, also, that April 1, 2011 came into force the Agreement between the EU and Georgia on protection of geographical indications of agricultural products and foodstuffs.

Tourism infrastructure, accommodation and catering

The substantial increase in the number of visitors (according to data released by the Authorities of Georgia, in 2013 Georgia has received more than five million foreign visitors, with an annual increase of 22%, 88% of which came from Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia), highlights from the Georgian side the opportunities that exist in the hospitality industry, where it is soffered the lack of three-star hotels. In June 2014 there were about a thousand existing facilities in Georgia for a total of 38 thousand beds; the occupancy rate of the hotels in 2013 deemed to have exceeded 80%; in 2015 and 2016 six new large hotels are expected to be opened in Tbilisi.

Fashion clothing (including leather and fur)

Italian products such as clothing and footwear enjoy in general in Georgia an excellent reputation, which has so far favoured the success.