Tbilisi – In March 2023, through the support of the European Union (EU) under ENPARD IV, an international SPS and Agro-Trade Expert of FAO visited Georgia. The international expert trained the staff of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA), the National Food Agency (NFA) and the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance (RS) in the implementation of the TRACES NT system in Georgia.

TRACES NT is the EU’s digital certification and management platform for all sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, supporting the import and export of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the European Union. This system will ensure improved controls in food safety and will facilitate the export of Georgian agricultural products to the EU and other destinations.

FAO experts also visited Georgia’s border control posts and the food business operators interested in exporting their agricultural products, with the objective of improving food safety and export opportunities for Georgia’s agriculture sector, through better sanitary and phytosanitary systems, under the DCFTA and in adherence with the EU standards.

International experts’ visit is integral to the FAO and EU’s efforts to identify critical issues and technical barriers in meeting export requirements under the DCFTA, as well as in responding to trade opportunities from the EU and other countries. Implementing TRACES NT will support the digitalization of the export/import procedures, which is a significant bottleneck in the process. 

Beyond the increased export opportunities, advancing the export/import systems will also increase food safety in the country, ensuring that Georgians are consuming healthy products. Additionally, the system is also going to reduce the risk of the spread of animal and plant diseases, which can pose major challenges to producers.

“Digitalization of import and export procedures is key to Georgia’s economic development, as a means to increase trading opportunities with the EU and other countries. The use of TRACES also has many implications in food safety for Georgian consumers and protecting the health of people and animals in Georgia, while taking care of the environment. People, animals, and the environment are the three main elements of the One Health approach, which FAO and EU are happy to support”, stated Javier Sanz Alvarez, FAO Programme Coordinator.

“Increasing trade with EU and the rest of the world is a major objective of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Georgia. For agrifood products, this needs to go through simplification, standardisation and digitalisation of export and import procedures. TRACES is a key tool in that respect and this is why we are putting so much emphasis under the ENPARD programme in mainstreaming its use in Georgia. TRACES should however not be seen solely as a tool to develop exports. It also plays a key role in ensuring that the potential of Georgia’s agriculture sector is fully realised and the Georgian consumer has increased access to safe and quality food.”, stated Georges Dehoux, Programme Manager for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Safety at the EU Delegation to Georgia.

---

The European Union supports rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD Programme. Aiming to reduce rural poverty, ENPARD has been implemented since 2013. The Programme started by supporting the development of national agriculture potential. Afterwards, it concentrated also on creating economic opportunities for rural populations in Georgia. Since 2023, the Programme places an even bigger emphasis on improving food safety in the country.