The European Union, the International Trade Centre and the Ministry of the Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia launched the Eastern Partnership Trade Helpdesk platform in Tbilisi for Georgian businesses – in Georgian.
(6 May 2022, Tbilisi) The European Union and the International Trade Centre (ITC), in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, have launched the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Trade Helpdesk platform for the Georgian business community.
The online platform has been developed as the part of a regional project funded by the European Union (EU), which aims to unlock over €380 million worth of the country’s unrealized export potential to the Eastern Partnership region and the EU.
Freely accessible to all companies and available in Georgian https://eap.tradehelpdesk.org/ka, the platform integrates three modules to navigate the different stages of the trade analysis process. Users can identify new opportunities in Eastern Partnership and EU countries – both by product and target market – and find market conditions for specific country-product combinations. The Help Centre integrated into the platform allows users to explore training materials and resources, as well as submit their queries to the network of technical experts coordinated by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.
The launch was preceded by a week of extensive training for officials from the Georgian Government and business support organizations– increasing their capacity in trade and market analysis using the Trade Helpdesk and other related information sources, such as the Access2Markets portal that is managed by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Trade. The knowledge accumulated in the training will enable them to develop new trade portfolios serving small businesses in Georgia that constitute over 80% of the economy.
Background
The untapped export potential of Georgia to EaP markets totals €103 million – exports to Moldova potentially doubling, and growth by one-third to other countries, such as Azerbaijan and Armenia. The newly released EaP Trade Helpdesk platform shares an overview of new market possibilities for established products already exported not only to the EaP, but also for the EU. It includes also the overview of market possibilities for products less known.
For example, only 34% of the export potential for fruits has been realized – leaving an additional €18 million growth opportunity for Georgian businesses, particularly in the Moldovan market where there is only 13% of potential realised. Similar information is available for possibilities on the European markets. For example, for pharmaceutical components, the import share of Georgia to the EU rose by 22% over the past four years. However, the sector’s unrealized export potential is at around €20.4 million. For the more in-depth information on EU markets, users of the EaP Trade Helpdesk platform can link through to the Access2Markets portal.
“Under the umbrella of our EU4business Initiative, 100% funded by the European Union and in a joint and fruitful cooperation with the ITC and the government of Georgia, the EaP Trade Helpdesk platform is capacity building at its best: ITC has designed and delivered an interactive website including a training program which will enable future exporters to unlock the full export potential of the Eastern Partnership region with the EU.”
Sigrid Brettel, Head of Cooperation, EU delegation to Georgia
“Trade, by definition, is a cross-border activity, and for trade between countries to grow it is crucial that there is easy, accessible and relevant access to trade-related information – both about domestic and destination requirements, and about the market possibilities abroad. The Eastern Partnership Trade Helpdesk platform is a unique regional bridge between the EU and Georgian economy. It can be instrumental in realizing additionally almost € 400 million worth of exports for Georgia over the course of the next three to four years.”
Mondher Mimouni, Chief, Trade and Market Intelligence, International Trade Centre
“On Georgia’s ambitious path of becoming the EU candidate country it is getting more and more obvious and critical than ever, that the EU’s strong position and support gives Georgia more motivation to feel as part of the European family. Building closer links with EU and Eastern Partners is our highest priority. Due to its scale and comprehensiveness, I am confident that the New Eastern Partnership Trade Helpdesk platform will help Georgian businesses, including SMEs to properly plan and make full use of their export potential.”
Genady Arveladze, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia
For more information about the project please contact:
- Paul Kelly, project manager, kelly@intracen.org
- Visit the project website: https://eap.tradehelpdesk.org/en
About ITC – The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
About EU4Business – EU4Business is an umbrella initiative that includes all EU support to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the Eastern Partnership countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. EU4Business supports SME growth by improving access to finance and business development services, and by promoting better business regulation.
In 2020, 71,851 SMEs were supported through the EU4Business Initiative, generating an extra €1 billion in income and 50,466 new jobs, growing their turnover by 17.44%, and increasing their exports by 4.11% as a result. Read more: https://eu4business.eu/
About Access2Markets – This EU web portal combines the Market Access Database, the EU Trade Helpdesk and other trade facilitation services. Access2Markets has all the information needed, be it about conformity assessment certificates for machinery, health certificates for aquaculture products, or labelling for processed foods. Access2Markets has contact details of customs and other public authorities in the EU countries and abroad. Read more: https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/home
