Imereti. Social enterprise "Peacock" located in Kutaisi produces greeting cards for several months now. Social enterprise was set up last year with support of the Kutaisi Education, Development and Employment Center. Few months ago the Center and organization "People in Need" have developed through joint efforts a three-year business plan for developing the social enterprise. The enterprise employs 10 socially unprotected, IDP and disabled persons. For the full text. Source: tavisupleba.ge

Kakheti. The Center for Strategic Research and Development has organized a meeting on October 30 in Telavi over the food safety related issues. Meeting participants have discussed issues such as the type of works in respect of food safety that Georgia has to undertake as part of the EU Association Agreement. Further, participants have discussed necessary requirements for Euro-integration, such as: carrying out the competition policy; securing food safety; protection of intellectual property; bringing the Labor Code in conformity with the European regulations; removal of technical barriers from trading, etc. Representatives of the Telavi non-governmental sector and rural associations have attended the event.

Kakheti. As part of the EU-funded project "Promoting Resocialization of Prisoner Women for Law-Abiding Life", Association "Woman and Business" has delivered a 3-day training in the Telavi Media Cafe for former prisoner women. According to the trainer, expert in small business, Revaz Burchuladze, the project targeted former prisoner women, who will learn how to start up and run a small business: "As part of the project ladies must learn how to run a small business, as well as to draft a business plan. After the training they will elaborate ideas to be considered by a special commission. As a result, the best identified idea will be funded and its author will be able to start running a small business".

Tbilisi. "Care" has organized a conference on October 29 on implemented activities as part of the three-year program "Local Actors Unite for Inclusive Economic Development and Governance". The conference aimed to summarize results of activities implemented in Georgia and Armenia. CSO "Cida" implements these activities in Georgia. For the full text. Source: web page of "Cida" in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Banks and Finances” has presented a new web page (www.gaige.ge). Through this web page you can get familiar with credit and debit products. On the web page you will be able to "compare credits of various banks, which will assist customers in choosing the most favorable terms”, says the organization’s web page. Web page: www.gaige.ge Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Society and the Banks" has released the study - "Overview of Mortgage Loans". The study covers the terms of commercial banks for mortgage loans, terms of mortgage loans abroad and includes the organization's advice and recommendations on this subject matter. The study. Source: sab.ge

Tbilisi. The Association of Young Economists of Georgia has released a statement on the new competition regulations. The organization "has addressed law-makers several times with various comments concerning the Agency's functioning and legislation, but unfortunately majority of comments were not taken into account. Along with full launch of the Agency's operations, we would like to express our position once again concerning certain risks associated with such competition regulations", says the statement released by the organization. For the full text. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Society and Banks" has released an overview of international practice of possession of non-core assets by commercial banks. "Apart from Georgia, the involvement of commercial banks in non-banking activities is monitored by various countries for years and various restrictions are also introduced. Therefore, this issue is of concern not only in Georgia but other states as well. In 2012 the World Bank has carried out the "Bank Regulation and Supervision Survey", one of the topics of which was the very possession of non-core assets by commercial banks", says the organization's web page. For the full text. Source: sab.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Society and Banks" has released the study "Growing Non-Bank Financial Sector". "In order to identify the real volume of this sector and existing situation in this area, we have reviewed their assets, liabilities, issued loans and net profit indicators", says the organization's web page. For the full text. Source: sab.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Society and Banks" has opened the Economic Media School for the second class of journalists.The project is implemented together with international organization "Junior Achievement". The Media School aims to raise journalists' financial education. Second class of the School includes 20 journalists representing 19 currently operating media outlets in Georgia. Journalists will learn the foundations of economy through a special course and textbooks.Trainings will be delivered by the trainers of "Junior Achievement" and the invited lecturers. Training course lasts for 3 months. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Association of Young Economists of Georgia has started receiving articles on various topics. 10 best works will be printed and 3 winners will be identified. The articles should cover topics such as: ways of increasing the transparency of public finances in Georgia, opportunities for increasing direct foreign investments, need for amendments in the business regulatory legislation, etc.One student is allowed to submit several articles. For the full text. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Shida Kartli. Center "Apkhazeti” has launched the implementation of a new project "Income Generation and Business Support Initiative”. The project foresees issuing interest-free  loans  to  IDPs  and  socially  vulnerable  population  residing  near  the South Ossetian administrative border line for starting up and developing business. The project is being implemented with financial support of the USAID/NEO initiative in the Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Imereti and Shida Kartli Regions and the Dutch Refugee Fund. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Adjara.  The  civil  service  reform  concept  was  presented  in  the  Batumi  Civic Engagement Center.What will a new concept of work in the civil service be like and how will the law be amended? The draft  was developed through joint  consultations  of  the local  and central  authorities,  civil  society  and experts  by  taking  into  account  the  current Georgian reality. The reform will affect 12 categories of the civil service, including the recruitment procedure, rights and duties of a servant, raising of qualification,remuneration system, promotion procedure, etc. The project implemented at the initiative of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia and support from the USAID's Good Governance Program, will be submitted after public discussions to the Government for approval.

Adjara.  The  Civil  Society  Institute  and  the  Civil  Development  Agency  have organized  a  discussion  on  August  13  in  the  Batumi  Civic  Engagement  Center,concerning the issues that  those interested in going and working in Turkey and Greece must know definitely in order for them to fully protect their rights. Meeting participants have discussed the problems of illegal migration to Turkey and Greece as well, and a documentary was also shown.Youngsters from Batumi in Khulo Adjara. Members of the "Batumi Youth Center" have visited the Khulo Youth Center in connection with the International Youth Day. Short films on youth problems were shown, followed by a discussion.The visit was carried out as part of the project "Advancing National Integration in Georgia",  implemented by  the  UN Association of  Georgia  (UNAG),  with  financial support of the US Agency for International Development. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Imereti. As part of the pilot program for advocating equal access to education and employment for persons with disabilities, a meeting with Kutaisi-based entrepreneurs was held on July 31 in the Kutaisi Education, Development and Employment Center. Representative of the Kutaisi Education, Development and Employment Center has talked about the project's key objective and areas. Entrepreneurs have discussed benefits that they would like to have in case of employing persons with disabilities. Web page developed as part of the project - www.jobsnet.ge – was presented at the meeting, which enables the entrepreneurs and persons with disabilities to run their own profile and have a space where they can upload vacancies and CVs. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Caucasian Institute for Economic and Social Research is implementing the project – "Local/Regional Economic Development Network as decisive leverage point for enhanced competitiveness in the Black Sea Basin regions”. Within the project framework in June and July one-week trainings were held in local economic development issues in three selected regions of Georgia: Samredia, Dmanisi and Martvili. Training topics were represented by PACA methodology (Increasing Competitive Advantage through Co-Financing) issues. Trainings were attended by local entrepreneurs and NGO representatives as well as local government officials and interested people.  Within the project framework meeting of the project management in Greek city Katerini was held. AT the management meeting achieved progress of the project and provided activities were reviewed.       

Kvemo Kartli. On July 23in Rustavi Scout Center presentations of representatives of social enterprises and various youth projects organized by Children and Youth Development Fund were held; the projects were financed and supported by the Fund. During the presentations, the representatives of the social enterprise talked about provided activities, current condition, and the challenges facing and the success achieved. Since 2013 Social Entrepreneurship has become a priority for the Children and Youth Development Fund program, and since then the fund has periodically announces various competitions, where applicants for the establishment of social enterprise can submit project proposals and get grant funding in case of selection.The main objective of the working meeting was introduction of financed project activities to each other, share experiences and establish future cooperation.  For the full text Source: cse.ge

Tbilisi. Association of Young Economists of Georgia published "Georgia, Europe and the Gross Domestic Product". For making general idea in this direction the organization used data of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund for a year 2013. For the full text Source: Organization web-site in social network 

Tbilisi. Association of Young Economists of Georgia broadcast a statement about cancelling of prohibiting moratorium of selling agricultural land to foreigners by constitution court. "We believe that cancelling moratorium is fair and has positive impact on improvement of business environment in the country…”, said in the statement. For the full text Source: Association of Young Economists of Georgia 

Tbilisi. The Georgian Small and Medium Enterprises Association is carrying out the study on business areas. The study aims to determine current situation in the Georgian business, and to analyze and assess a competitive environment.As part of the study, the organization will consult the entrepreneurs on issues of interest to them. The study will be carried out based on public information of the National Statistics Office of Georgia, as part of which three thousand companies will be interviewed by telephone and e-mails.Based on the study results the Association will draft a report that will be submitted to entrepreneurs in accordance with their business activity areas. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The concept draft Law on Social Entrepreneurship was presented on June 30 in the "Courtyard Marriott” Hotel, developed through joint efforts of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia. On June 30 the concept was presented to the working group on Social Entrepreneurship, which includes representatives from various ministries, CSOs and the Tbilisi Government. Discussion has followed after the presentation. A meeting with social entrepreneurs and interested parties is planned prior to final formulation of the concept. For the full text. Source: cse.ge

Tbilisi. The Association of Young Economists of Georgia released information "on enterprises with the state interest". In the organization's opinion, "it is desirable that the state alienates (fully and/or partly) enterprises in its ownership. In most of the cases enterprises in the state ownership are not distinguished by the efficiency of work and high norms of capital production. Such enterprises use public finances ineffectively, hinder the development of competitive market in Georgia and have an adverse effect on the country's economic growth...". For the full text. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.