Project

Fact-finding mission (FFM) in Georgia on waste and chemicals management

In response to the request for assistance, based on the agreement between SEI and Sida, SEI was commissioned to conduct a comprehensive assessment of waste and chemicals sectors in Georgia. The main objective of the assessment is to support the relevant national authorities in Georgia (first MEPA) in understanding the existing deficiencies and challenges in the sector through analyzing current legislative, regulatory and institutional frameworks, identifying gaps and proposing recommendations.

Active project

2022–2023

Project contacts

Bernardas Padegimas / bernardas.padegimas@sei.orgMelano Sirbiladze / melano.sirbiladze@sei.org

Participants at a meeting related to the Fact-finding mission (FFM) in Georgia on waste and chemicals management project — Photo: MEPA Georgia.

Echoing Georgia’s growing technical assistance needs, based on the agreement between the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), in October 2022, SEI launched a Fact-finding Mission (FFM) in Georgia. This intervention included the development of two studies – a “Fact-finding Mission (FFM) Report,” containing a comprehensive assessment of current waste and chemicals management systems, and “Proposed Solutions for Improving MEPA’s Functions in Waste and Chemicals Management,” offering an analysis of the institutional structure, functions and technical capacity of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA), and suggesting an optimum and reasonable institutional model for the improvement of MEPA’s performance in the areas of waste and chemicals management. In addition to that, the project team produced a recommendations brief. The aim of the brief was to provide a concise explanation of the possible organizational changes and suggest short-, medium- and long-term steps in institutional reform.

SEI’s assessment has been carried out considering Georgia’s obligations under the Association Agreement (AA), Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), and other key EU acts (Directives, Regulations, Strategies, Action Plans) that are critical for Georgia to attain EU candidate status and, ultimately, become a member state.