The EU-financed project "Support to approximation of Georgian legal and institutional framework to the Union Acquis in the field of railway transport", will be executed by Polish administration entities. Ministry of Infrastructure is the leader, accompanied by 5 other strong and well known rail market intitutions (the railway infrastructure manager, the National Safety Authority, the regulatory body, the reserach institute and others). All of them can offer an expertise of variety of very experienced and highly motivated experts.
The purpose is to help the Georgian railway sector to get its structure and legal environment closer to the EU acquis, in accordance with the EU - Georgia Association Agreement of 2014.

For the purposes of proper and efficient implementation of the Associacion Agreement in the area of railway transport, assistance of the Polish experienced experts will be secured. Poland is a good example of a successful transformation in the area of EU railway law and will be piloting the Georgian partners in their efforts to meet standards of the Union acquis.

Components of the project and their subsequent results:

1. National regulatory framework on railway transport revised and upgraded in accordance with the respective Union acquis -> gap analysis of the railway law of Georgia done; legislative amendments proposed; new railway authorities established; market regulation and interoperability of railway sector improved; study visit organised.

2. A well-organized, nationally regulated railway market/sector established -> preparation for the implementation of political and strategic goals of the functioning of railway transport; smooth adjustment of Georgian rail market participants to European licensing process; recommendations for the international freight transport; knowledge about investment process in infrastructure; new and effective policy in the areas of safety, interoperability and regulation; organizational / operational / functional structure adaptability for newly established authorities.

3. Capacity of relevant rail authorities and other key stakeholders strengthened -> trainings on the EU legislation in the railway sector dedicated to the personnel of all involved institutions of Georgia; assessment of newly established authorities’ and their human resources; increasing visibility of the project and all products developed.

The overall objective of the project is to support the approximation of the Georgian railway sector with the relevant EU standards and provisons and to strengthen and empower the railway regulatory environment of Georgia. The specific objective is to upgrade national railway transport legislation and to strengthen national institutional capacities inter alia through the approximation of Georgian legislation to the relevant Union acquis to meet the commitments undertaken by Georgia under the EU-Georgia Association Agreement signed in 2014.

The Twinning Project aims to ensure sustainable changes and added value not only during its lifetime but also to give a lasting effects in proper policies conducting, strategies and everyday practice after the project has been completed. The achievements of the project will have permanent and ongoing beneficial effects on the effectiveness of railway sector and market management, the human resources involved and cooperation with other institutions and private sector.