DISINFO: Only Europe gains from the association agreement with Georgia
SUMMARY
The Association Agreement with the EU is very profitable for Europe because it can easily peddle its goods in our countries, while Georgian products are submitted to a quota that Ukraine,for example, has already exhausted.
RESPONSE
The EU provides Georgian companies with funding, training, and export support to new markets through the EU4Business initiative. Trade relations between the EU and partner countries are mutually beneficial. For example, the Eastern Partnership countries offer new markets and consumers to European businesses, and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine allow citizens in those countries to benefit from greater choice, quality and safety of products available to them thanks to increased standards of consumer protection.Georgia enjoy a zero customs duty policy on import of goods to EU countries, except for 1 product (garlic). There is no limit on the volume of Georgian goods exported to the EU. Only a few products represent exceptions, Georgia initially has zero customs duty for these products within a certain quota, after the expiry of which the import tariff must be paid. Customs controls at the EU's external borders mean that imported products must still comply with EU standards and requirements. The EU can also take measures if an EU-based industry complains about the damage caused by unfair practices such as dumping or subsidies. Furthermore, Ukraine can not use up quotas for Georgia, since the quota are country specific. eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/35712/myths-about-eastern-partnership-factsheet_en, . Further debunking at Myth Detector mythdetector.ge/en/myth/two-lies-about-association-agreement-european-union, .