Tariffs and Fees for Services provided by Revenue Service
Georgian Government Resolution No96
March 30, 2010

According to a joint order of the Minister of Finance of Georgia and the Minister of Economic Development of Georgia №890-№1-1/2978 as of December 30, 2009, the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was granted the right to resume issuance of the certificate of origin of goods.

If, prior to August 1, 2008 the Chamber only issued CT-1 certificate of origin of goods, the mentioned order entitled it to additionally issue three more certificates:

1. Non-preferential certificate of origin;
2. Preferential certificate of origin – form A;
3. Preferential certificate of origin – EUR 1.

The Chamber has a many years' experience in issuance of certificates, which is a guarantee that our service will be prompt, high-quality and significantly preferential.

The period of issuance of the certificate by the Chamber, as well as the service charge (including VAT), will be determined in the following way:

-          if issuance of the certificate will take more than 2 working days – free of charge;

-          2 days – 20 GEL;

-          4-8 hours – 50 GEL;

-          1-3 hours – 75 GEL.

Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation plans the construction of oil refine factory in Georgia. The corporation has announced the expression of interest within the planning-construction of oil refine factory. Consultant has to study the technical and economical opportunities of oil refine complex’s construction, which has to satisfy the financing demands of international financial institutions. Particularly, market analysis, determination of supply opportunities, determination of produced petroleum volume, estimation of profit and expenditure, the analysis of alternative decisions, risk analysis, development of Business plan and financial model, the estimation of infrastructure and service concerning the project, conceptual planning. Technical-economical substantiation prepared by consultant has to present the information about the estimation of possible influence of project on geographical environment, subscribe of legislative limitations and regulations and the enough information for forming of the tender documentation for further detailed projecting and construction.

On July 2^nd of current year in office of International Investors Association was held meeting between exporters and head coordinator of Export promotion Service of the national investment agency Mr. Mikheil Kobaladze, commercial attaché of European Union representation Ms. Virginia Kosoul, The German Technical Support Society representative Mrs. Aleksandra Operman and Alexander Revia. At the meeting were attending Commercial attaché Of Turkish republic in Batumi Volkan Berker, Chairman deputy of International Investors Association Cezmi Akshahin, Chairman of Trustee Board Mr. Levan Shervashidze, The head of Certification and licensing department of Finance and Economic Ministry, trustee from Ministry of Agriculture, 32 exporters and mass media representatives.

At the meeting were presented presentations of Export Promotion Service and trade relationships between Georgia and European Union by Commercial attaché of European Union.

Timely solution of all issues of the meeting raised by exporters will lead to easier work and growth of export volume.

Export Promotion Service in nearest future will put in motion new trade web-portal and export info center due to promote making contacts between local entrepreneurs and foreign buyers.

The Prime-Minister of Georgia Nika Gilauri introduced the new Minister of Economy and Steady Development – Vera Kobalia to the employees on July 3. Nika Gilauri expressed his hope that Vera Kobalia will be the Minister who will successfully run the Ministry for many years. The Prime-Minister noted that the country has great achievements in terms of economic development but there are still two serious problems – inflow of investments and the pace of privatization processes. “These are the two mainstream directions of the Ministry of Economy and Steady Development and this will be the main objective of the newly appointed Minister,” – Gilauri said. The Prime-Minister wished luck to the new Minister and also talked about her path – Kobalia worked abroad; she comes from the private sector and understands the investment issues well. This will help her to enlarge the business sector in the county and accelerate the privatization process. The Prime-Minister also thanked the former Minister of Economy for his work. The newly appointed Minister of Economy and Steady Development Vera Kobalia said that there is a lot to be done in a short period of time so it is important to work actively: “If we want to be tourists in our own country, we can do nothing and let the occupants rule our country, but I am sure that we don’t want this. We are hardworking people; my colleagues and I will even work on weekends to improve Georgian economy, strengthen small business, and introduce many investors and tourists to our country. I shall speak about the improvement of the economy until every single person has a normal life” – Vera Kobalia said. The Minister named employment as her number one priority but also talked about the importance of developing agriculture in order for the production not only to be exported abroad but also take its significant place on the local market. Attracting investments is also very important; the investors should be offered programs worked out beforehand. The Ministry must accelerate privatization processes and develop tourism. Vera Kobalia was born on August 24, 1981 in Sokhumi. She moved to Canada after the war in Sokhumi where she spent last 15 years. Vera Kobalia worked on managing positions in Canadian business-companies and different nongovernmental organizations. She returned to Georgia in February, 2010 and became the leader of “Coalition for Justice” organization. The new Minister of Economy and Steady Development names employment, development of tourism and small business as her number one priorities. The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili talked about the changes in the government structure in June 26 and the Prime-Minister introduced the new government team on a plenary sitting on July 2. The main priority of the new team will be defeating poverty. The government of Georgia expressed its trust to the new program.

New commercial attaché Volkan Berker started to attend his duties at general consulate of Turkish Republic in Batumi. On June 29 of current year was held meeting with Volkan Berker attended by International Investors Association Chairman Deputy Cezmi Akshahin and General Secretary Tamaz Shavadze. This meeting was an acquaintance with each other. International Investors Association congratulates commercial attaché Mr. Volkan Berker on starting work on new position and wishes success to develop deeper relationships between two countries.

An agreement between the Ministry of Economic Development and Real Estates Companies was signed in order to accelerate the privatization process of the state properties. The Deputy Minister Grigol Gobejishvili was the one to sign the agreement from the Ministry’s side. The agreement was signed with seven broking companies, particularly: ind. entrepreneur “Rusudan Meifariani” (realtor,)   ind. entrepreneur “Mariam Khutsishvili,” LTD “Privateservice,” LTD “Real Estate Service,” non-profit legal entity “Association of Real Estates of Georgia,” LTD “Buruka” and LTD “Erdo.” According to the announcement of the head of State Propery management and Privatization Department Giorgi Bakradze, the agreement is very important because it implies the participation of broking companies in the privatization process. All this will make these processes more efficient. “In case if the private companies find potential clients or investors for the privatization items, individual agreements will be made between the Ministry and the representatives of these companies,” – Bakradze said.

The government has proposed to turn Georgia into “a tax-free zone” for information technology companies, PM Nika Gilauri said on June 18. The move aims at attracting IT giants to invest in Georgia and to open their branches in the country and to turn Georgia “into IT hub”, Kakha Baindurashvili, the finance minister, said. According the government proposal, which has yet to be approved by the Parliament, tax exempts will also apply to local IT companies, Niko Mchedlishvili, the PM’s spokesperson announced.

The Ministry of Energy of Georgia has announced the interest expressions of the Design and Feasibility Assessment of Optimal Scheme of Medium-Size Hydropower Plants. Based on the information of the ministry of Energy of Georgia, Engurhesi Ltd intends to announce a tender on consulting services for the Design and Feasibility Assessment of Optimal Scheme of Medium-Size Hydropower Plants on River Khrami. Within the frameworks of consulting services the works under the consultancy assignment are planned to be performed in two stages: Feasibility Assessment of the selected scheme of HPPs including Environmental Impact Assessment. Interested companies are invited to present the interest expressions letter. Based on this invitation, there will be sent the formal invitations to several qualified companies in order to express its tender proposals.

On June 9 of the Current year, at Hotel “Courtyard Marriott”, presentation of National Centre for State Internal Control was held, which was opened by Deputy Minister of Finance Irakli Siradze. According to the statement of the Head of the Centre-Levan Churadze, the main functions of the centre will be internal control of the state, which is the demand of European Union. As of his words former General inspections at state institutions will be changed into Internal Services of Audits and their priorities will be: Monitoring of effectiveness of decision making system of managers at the Ministries, implementation of those decisions and transparency of management and control of financial system.

Audits will be functioning at: Ministries, Self-governing institutions, governments of autonomous republics and at institutions where are Public Law Legal Entities. Apart from that, audits will be in those companies, who think that financial management and control should be transparent.

Internal audits should start functioning until June 26 and they are accountable to Ministries, after report will be presented to National Centre for State Internal Control. National Centre for State Internal Control is accountable to the Ministry of Finance and Government and quarterly will present report to them.

National Centre for State Internal Control was created on May 1 of the current year as PLLE on a base of presidents decree N215.