The ISET Policy Institute presented to stakeholders the Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Draft Law of Georgia on Entrepreneurs at ISET on May 2. The project was prepared by the ISET Policy Institute with the support of GIZ and PROLoG/USAID.

In 2013, as a follow-up on public consultations on improving the acting company laws in Georgia, a working group was established to elaborate a new Draft Law of Georgia on Entrepreneurs. The working group was created under the Private Law Reform Council of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, and the USAID-funded Judicial Independence and Legal Empowerment Project, which was succeeded by the Promoting Rule of Law in Georgia (PROLoG) Activity. Both projects were implemented by the East-West Management Institute (EWMI), which also served as a cooperating partner. The group was comprised of Georgian academics and legal practitioners, with international experts providing consultations.

After signing the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in 2014, the Draft Law underwent changes in terms of compliance with EU Directives and best European practices. Before launching public discussions on the Draft Law, GIZ and PROLoG – in coordination with the Ministry of Justice of Georgia – contracted the ISET Policy Institute to conduct the RIA of the Draft Law. Currently, the RIA report and the text of the Draft Law have been finalized and will soon be ready to be presented for public consultations to legal professionals, governmental agencies, civil society organizations, the business community, and the general public.

Alexander Baramidze (First Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia), Mark Mitchell (Acting Deputy Mission Director of USAID/Georgia), and Dr. Thomas Meyer (Program Director, GIZ Program ‘Legal Approximation towards European Standards in the South Caucasus’) opened the presentation and welcomed the guests. Shalva Papuashvili (Team Leader Georgia, GIZ Program ‘Legal Approximation towards European Standards in the South Caucasus’) moderated the event.

As for the keynote speakers and the agenda of the event, Maia Bregvadze (Advisor, Ministry of Justice of Georgia, Legal Drafting Department) presented the Draft Law of Georgia on Entrepreneurs, followed by the RIA presentation by Sophiko Skhirtladze (Head of the Private Sector Development Policy Research Center, ISET Policy Institute), Irakli Sokolovski (Legal Counsel, MG Law Office) and Norberto Pignatti (RIA expert, ISET Policy Institute).

The meeting was interactive and lively, as all the stakeholders had the opportunity to share their opinions and ask questions.