Project title: "Towards Unlocking Georgia’s EU Perspective"

 

Georgians believe that their culture and history, as well as the acclaimed success in EU approximation have long earned the country the right to be recognized as a candidate for the membership. Regretfully, none of the past or existing formal EU foreign policy tools and agreements pertaining to Georgia admits such prospect. Meantime, unmet expectations coupled with Russia’s treacherous anti-Western propaganda can affect Georgia’s pro-European drive. The weakening of such a faithful ally as Georgia is fraught with unnecessary instability in EU’s eastern neighborhood. The familiarization with the V4 and Western Balkan experience of successful transition could help Georgia unlock the European perspective and thereby gain a strategic inspiration to stay on course of rapprochement with the EU.

The problem is addressed through enhancing policy communication of GoG by way of transferring knowledge and experience of successful transition towards EU from the V4, on one hand, and Serbia and Montenegro, on the other. This will be done by a series of policy-relevant discussions and research culminating in development of recommendations to both GoG and CSOs. The novelty is that the little-known knowledge and unique experience of these countries in the form of comparative analysis will become available to Georgian stakeholders; Also the transfer of experience from Serbia/Montenegro is interesting as they too learned from V4.Therefore, the experience of two generations of EU aspirants is truly valuable. Hence, the final conclusions and recommendations will gain additional credibility.

In Georgia, except for the very fact of EU enlargement, little is known about the very process that led individual countries to eventual success. Also, little interest is given to the wider context in which this process took or has been taking place. The transfer of this knowledge and experience through international cooperation within the proposed project is practically the only way to master them by Georgian stakeholders quickly and comprehensively. It is obvious that without such cooperation, the efforts of local policy researchers would have been longer and costlier and, most importantly, would result in lesser quality outcomes. While, if successful, the significance of the project will transcend Georgia because other participants in the Eastern Partnership can also benefit from it.

 

Main project objective:

 

To enable Georgia, both government and civil society, to put to good use the unique experience of the Visegrad countries, and IPA beneficiaries, towards securing Georgia's EU membership perspective.

 

Specific project objectives:

 

-To develop policy recommendations for government and civil society and draw a plan of coordinated actions:

Comparative analysis of the case studies will identify both common and unique features of transformation to decide which of them can serve Georgia as useful lessons learned. Based on this analysis, policy recommendations will be developed.

 

-To familiarize with the experience of V4, and Serbia and Montenegro:

6 individual case studies will describe the path towards EU membership of these countries.
Serbia/Montenegro are included as countries with fresh experience. All case studies will be designed so as to have relevance to Georgia.

 

 

 

Project Partners:

 

 

Partner No.1.The Slovak Foreign Policy Association

Role of the partner: SFPA will present a description and analysis of experience of the Slovak Republic on the path of rapprochement and eventual merger with the

European Union. In particular, SFPA will consider contributing factors and obstacles on the example of the Slovak Republic and will present recommendations to

Georgia on the basis of an analysis of its own lessons learned, both successes stories and failures, if any..

Previous cooperation with project partner: SFPA is a foreign policy think-tank based in Bratislava. It conducts high-quality, independent research and provide innovative

practical recommendations. SFPA produces various publications covering foreign policy and international relations; organizes international seminars & conferences;

SFPA has experience/understanding of the process of accession of Slovakia to the EU, has knowledge of the context of Georgia with regard to its efforts to draw closer

to the EU

 

 

 

Partner No. 2. Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Role of the partner: IFAT will present a description and analysis of Hungarian experience on the path of rapprochement and eventual merger with the European Union.

In particular, the IFAT will consider contributing factors and obstacles on the example of Hungary and will present recommendations to Georgia on the basis of an

analysis of its own lessons learned, both successes stories and failures, if any.

Previous cooperation with project partner: IFAT is familiar with the process of accession of Hungary to the EU and have knowledge of the context of Georgia with

regard to its efforts to draw closer to the Union. IFAT is able to commit adequate time to the participation in the project, including the time for participation in both the

discussion and the conference in Tbilisi

 

Partner No. 3. ASSOCIATION FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Role of the partner: AMO will present a description and analysis of Czech Republic experience on the path of rapprochement and eventual merger with the European Union. In particular, AMO will consider contributing factors and obstacles on the example of Czech Republic and will present recommendations to Georgia on the basis of an analysis of its own lessons learned, both successes stories and failures, if any.

Previous cooperation with project partner: AMO is familiar with the process of accession of Czech Republic to the EU and have knowledge of the context of Georgia with regard to its efforts to draw closer to the Union. AMO is able to commit adequate time to the participation in the project, including the time for participation in both the discussion and the conference in Tbilisi.

 

 

 

Partner No. 4. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego College of Eastern Europe

Role of the partner: College of Eastern Europe will present a description and analysis of Poland experience on the path of rapprochement and eventual merger with the

European Union. In particular, College of Eastern Europe will consider contributing factors and obstacles on the example of Poland and will present recommendations

to Georgia on the basis of an analysis of its own lessons learned, both successes stories and failures, if any.

Previous cooperation with project partner: College of Eastern Europe is a non-governmental organization. Developing cooperation & mutual understanding between

nations of Central and Eastern Europe, this institution specializes in social diplomacy. Through educational, research, cultural and scientific activity, College of Eastern

Europe strives for bringing closer people from post-soviet countries, developing civic society & perception of the democratic values.

 

 

The project funded by: