The Role of the CSOs in DCFTA Implementation in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

Over the last few years, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have invested extensively in deeper political and economic integration with the European Union (EU), enhancing this formally since 2021 under the ‘Association Trio’ initiative. For this objective, full usage of the potential of the provisions of the Association Agreements (AA) and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTA), have crucial significance. Despite the increased focus of both the European Union and national governments to advance on the path of the DCFTA implementation, the degree of the use of DCFTA benefits in each country remains limited.Since joint – civil society and government – efforts are necessary to address these challenges the project aimed to identify what could have been the contribution and positive added value of the civil society actors in the process by drawing a comparative assessment and highlighting the good practices of CSO engagement in the three states as well as stimulating the cross-country CSO discussion in the EaP region.

The project followed three objectives:

•  Studying the role of the CSOs in the implementation of DCFTA by collecting information about the different perspectives from the representatives of CSOs, SMEs and the relevant state institutions in three target states;
• Stimulating regional cooperation by facilitating experience sharing between CSOs from Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine;
• Disseminating the results of the joint synergy of the three target EaP states with all EaP CSF member CSOs.

Project activities:

• Joint policy report analyzing the roles CSOs play in DCFTA implementation in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine
• Round table discussions in each country for proceeding with the preliminary results of the country chapters
• Online multistakeholder discussion participated by the trade experts from all EaP states for sharing experience about trade-relations with the EU of each EaP state and the roles that CSOs play in this direction in each country 
• Closing virtual presentation of the report “the Role of Civil Society in DCFTA Implementation in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.”