Gigla Mikautadze, the manager of ISET’s “ReforMeter” project, was invited by the International Monetary Fund to the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF which took a place in Washington D.C. October 9-14. The participants of the event discussed the current trends in the global economy, government policies, and strategies for poverty reduction.

The VET reform assessment was conducted on October 4, 2017. According to the Government Survey, 80% of the 2013-2017 Action Plan, and 50% of the entire reform, which is scheduled to last until 2020, have been implemented. The survey also showed how the reform, including the launch of the dual education system, which took off in 2013 revamped the whole structure of the vocational education system.

On September 27, 2017, the first assessment of Pension Reform was conducted, within “ReforMeter”. Based on the Government Survey, 38.8% of the reform is already implemented. At this stage, the reform concept is elaborated and approved by the Government. In October, the draft law will be publicly available. The pension fund functions and obligations are formulated. The regulatory body is defined. Pension system operating rules are designed.

On July 18, 2017, Mr. Nicola Mariani, managing partner of Dechert Georgia LLC, visited ISET within its Summer School programme and discussed economic reforms, political transition, and development organized by the International School of Economics (ISET).

Georgia is a favorable investment destination, with a simple tax code consisting of six flat taxes and a total tax rate of only 16% on commercial profits that are distributed. Georgia was ranked 16th on the World Banks Ease of Doing Business for 2017 (by contrast, Switzerland is No. 31 and Norway No. 6), and No. 13 on the Bribery Risk Scale of the “Trace”, an International Transparency Rank (Switzerland is No. 16 and Norway No. 5). Georgia has signed an Association Agreement with the EU, is a member of WHO, has ratified the Energy Charter Treaty, and signed the New York Convention.