During the official working visit from 24 to 26 November, the members of the EFTA Parliamentary Committee will meet with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, David Usupashvili; the Chairman of the Economic Committee, Zurab Tkemaladze; and the Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Zviad Kvatchantiradze to discuss the benefits of a free trade agreement. Meetings have also been scheduled withthe minister for Foreign Affairs, Giorgi Kvirikashvili; the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Genadi Arveladze; the First Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Nodar Kereselize and with business representatives.
The representatives of the EFTA Parliamentary Committee, led by Kathy Riklin, member of the National Council (CVP/ZH), will discuss the potential for strengthening economic relations with Georgia, with the aim of ensuring the best possible stable, barrier-free and non-discriminatory market access for economic operators from EFTA countries in Georgia.
On 17 November 2014, at the informal ministerial meeting in Geneva, the EFTA ministers decided to open negotiations with Georgia. The first round of negotiations was held in early September, and a further round of negotiations has been scheduled for later this year. By launching negotiations with Georgia, Switzerland will carry forward the foreign economic policy it has pursued since 2008, namely the extension of the network of 28 free trade agreements with 38 partners by adding a new member.
Switzerland is aiming to reach an agreement that will basically provide the best possible non-discriminatory market access for the sectors relevant to the Swiss economy (in particular goods traffic, trade in services, investment, public procurement, intellectual property and competition). The agreement should also serve to strengthen legal certainty regarding economic exchanges and cooperation between Switzerland and Georgia.
Tiflis, 24 November 2015 Parliamentary Services