How we work
The EU has over 130 active projects in Georgia. These projects are implemented by a wide range of partners including civil society, international organisations, private companies, the Georgian government, and EU member state governments.
Funding is provided through various modalities, include grants, service tenders, blending, loans, or sector reform support contracts.
On this page, we introduce the different funding modalities to you.
The European Union published a detailed evaluation on the effectiveness and impact of the EU’s cooperation with Georgia during the funding period 2014-2020. An independent team of evaluators worked on a comprehensive evaluation of the European Union’s development assistance to Georgia during 2014-2020.
Read the detailed findings of the evaluation on the effectiveness and impact of the EU’s cooperation with Georgia in this factsheet.
The Delegation of the European Union, in close coordination with colleagues from the European Commission’s headquarters, has already begun to implement some of these recommendations in the design of new programmes.
Grants
EU support is often provided through grants. These financial donations do not have to be repaid and are usually awarded following a call for proposals. Grants are targeted at non-profit organisations.
Learn more about grants: https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/grants_en
In Georgia, we have over 100 ongoing grant projects, most often with civil society projects.
Tenders
In cases where the EU wishes to provide specific technical expertise or equipment it can launch a competitive call for tender. These can include:
- services (technical assistance, studies etc.)
- supplies (equipment, materials etc.)
- works (infrastructure, engineering works etc.)
Learn more about tenders: https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/tenders_en
Twinning
Twinning is an EU instrument for institutional cooperation between Public Administrations of EU Member States and of beneficiary or partner countries.
Twinning projects bring together public sector expertise from EU Member States and beneficiary countries with the aim of achieving concrete mandatory operational results through peer-to-peer activities.
Learn more about twinning: https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/tenders/twinning_en
Loans, Guarantees and Blending
The EU provides loans, guarantees and equity as forms of financial assistance to support its policies and programmes. Where in the past, the EU have mostly used direct grants to promote development in our partner countries, we now aim to bring in other sources of public and private finance to complement our own development funding. For example, the EU provides loans to businesses of all types for investment in research and innovation. It also provides guarantees to help beneficiaries to obtain loans more easily or at better conditions from banks and other lenders. The EU may also financially participate in a project by owning parts of it.
With guarantees we share the risk associated with investing and lending in developing countries, so that private investors and development banks will finance entrepreneurs or development projects. That means in the unlikely event that a loss occurs, the EU will pay part of it.
Learn more about guarantees and blending: https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/guarantees-and-blending_en
Sector Reform Support Contracts
Sector Reform Support Contracts, are a form of budget support and are central to EU international cooperation. They involves direct financial transfers to the national treasury of partner countries engaging in sustainable development reforms.
These transfers are conditional on policy dialogue, performance assessment, and capacity building. Other types of support often accompany budget support.
Learn more about budget support: https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/budget-support_en