GE EN
Business
Georgian wine showcased at ProWein exhibition in Germany

During the three-day exhibition, the Wine Agency organised a wine tasting hosted at the stand of the German media holding Meininger under the title Georgia - The Homeland of Wine, led by wine masters Janek Schumann and Konstantin Baum.In addition, presentations under Georgian Wine Day were hosted by popular influencer and sommelier Toni Askitis.Levan Mekhuzla, the Chair of the Agency, said the Düsseldorf exhibition was “very important” for Germany and the global wine market.“Professionals gather here, companies constantly meet potential partners. Georgia participated in ProWein Düsseldorf for the 24th time. One of the main goals of the Agency is diversification of markets [while Germany] is one of the strategic markets for Georgian wine, where the sales are growing steadily”, he said.Within the exhibition, Mekhuzla held meetings with representatives of marketing companies and media holdings, as well as with Peter Schmitz, the Director of the ProWein Trade Fair.About 5,400 wine producers from 65 countries participated in the 30th anniversary exhibition.

1710412242

The contribution of the VZP sector to the economy of Georgia has quadr...

It can be safely said that countries are actively competing with each other to offer the best tax, economic, social, and other important conditions to companies working in the IT field.Georgia in the international ratingsIf we rely on public sources, the list of the best countries for creating IT companies is changing, because they are constantly trying to offer something new to companies. Also, these ratings are part of the marketing process, although we can more or less single out advanced jurisdictions in this direction, with appropriate justification.It should be noted here that Georgia has been in the top positions in these rankings for years.According to the rating, companies prefer the following jurisdictions: Cyprus, Romania, Georgia, Hong Kong, Estonia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Gibraltar, Poland, and Turkey.It is quite good news for the acceleration of the growth of the economy of Georgia, when the country, with its potential, positions itself next to the EU countries in one of the fastest-growing and most promising fields. However, continuous development is probably necessary so that the country does not lag behind modern trends, responds to the demands of the sector and the challenges facing it, and increases Western (and not only) investment flows in the Georgian market.The essence of benefits established for VZPsGeorgia is a small country located at the junction of Europe and Asia. We can consider the location an important advantage compared to other countries. In addition, the country offers IT companies a favorable tax regime. For example, instead of the standard 15% profit tax, 0%–5%. The tax rate on distributed dividends is 5% for individuals. There is also a discount in the part of VAT (18%) if the companies provide services or products abroad; the founder doesn't need to be a resident of Georgia to be granted this status, and no additional license is required to carry out information technology activities, etc.In addition, Georgia has a business-friendly environment and a simple and efficient incorporation process. The country is also known for its low bureaucracy, which makes it easy for entrepreneurs to start and run a business.In this direction, preferential regimes such as Virtual Zone and International Companies are very attractive for investors. However, judging by the statistics of IT companies registered in Georgia, the Virtual Zone has an unrivaled status not only in Georgia but also throughout the region. Obtaining the mentioned status in Georgia has been possible since 2011 when the Law of Georgia on Information Technology Zones will be adopted. This news gave great impetus to many IT companies and their representatives to start their activities in Georgia.Georgia has become a favorable location for companies in the information technology sector, with more than 1.200 organizations granted Virtual Zone Person status within our jurisdiction and enjoying the benefits offered by this status.IT, including the contribution of the VZP sector to the economyThis, in turn, implies the greatest economic benefits for the state. For example, according to Galt & Taggart's review of Georgia's economy and sectors, which was published in March, the income from the export of IT services reached 1.77 billion GEL in 2023, which is 4 times higher than in 2021. Rapid growth was caused by tax incentives and the relocation of companies in Georgia.As a result, between 2021 and 2023, the number of employees in the IT sector quadrupled, and average salaries doubled. According to 2023 data, 14.164 people were employed in IT companies, and the average salary was 7.192 GEL.The same Galt & Taggart analysts note in their review that labor costs account for 60% of sector revenues. Accordingly, the income from IT exports is mainly distributed to the employees, which contributes to the growth of consumption. High salaries in the IT sector create a prerequisite for the formation of the middle class.Although it is difficult to determine how much of this statistic is the share of companies with Virtual Zone status, according to various calculations, this indicator is not less than 50%.For a clearer comparison, today more than half of the employed (including self-employed) population of Georgia comes from agriculture, and the share of agriculture in the country's economy is only a few percent. Economist Vakhtang Charaia explained in the Public Broadcaster's "Gadatskvetileba" program on March 6 that if winemaking and viticulture employ about 200.000 people directly and indirectly in Georgia, and about 14.000 specialists in the IT sector, the incomes of these 14.000 people exceeded the incomes of 200.000 citizens employed in winemaking. Thus, according to Charaia, the country should take important steps in those directions, the development of which will create more wealth in the country, including in the direction of the IT sector.Another interesting indicator can be cited: in 2021–2023, the economy of Georgia grew by 9.7%. In this indicator, the contribution of the IT sector is quite impressive and amounts to 1.3 percentage points. This is only 0.1 percentage points behind the contribution of the trade and transport sectors (1.3 percentage points). Here you will know that in the growth of the economy, 0.9 percentage points come from the manufacturing industry, 0.6 percentage points - from financial activities, 0.6 percentage points from electric energy, and 3.5 percentage points from other sectors taken together.It should also be noted that the majority of these companies are representatives of European companies and investors.What is happening elsewhere, and what do we have to fix?The status of a Virtual Zone Person, it can be safely said, is unique not only in the region but also in the world. Its analog is not found in the legislation of any country. By the way, based on the need to develop the IT sector and increase the ranking and competitiveness of Armenia as a country with a developed IT sector in the region, in 2014 the Law "On State Support of the Information Technology Sector" was adopted. The Armenian government has given tax incentives to IT startups and exempted them from the corporate tax rate of 18%, as well as reduced the income tax to 10% from 20%. Nevertheless, there is not much interest in this jurisdiction from the business side.Therefore, we can confidently say that Georgia, with its potential, competes convincingly with a number of advanced European states, while it undoubtedly maintains its leading position in the region.However, there are also a number of factors that more or less hinder the attraction of even more companies. In this regard, political instability and the vagueness of tax legislation are highlighted, which deprives businesses of the opportunity to make their activities predictable.In the global race to lead the fintech revolution, Georgia has every opportunity to play a leading role in shaping the future of the region's IT industry. All the more so since there are already best practices for benefiting from preferential regimes.

1710401628

Georgian PM: “ambitious, realistic” 4-year plan to “qualitatively stre...

“For this purpose, large investments will be made in the development of road, railway, air, sea transport infrastructure. The state will actively support production development, [and] export growth. Also, the educational system and infrastructure of the country will be fundamentally strengthened”, Kobakhidze said.He added “reforms and changes” were being implemented “in many directions”, which would “directly or indirectly contribute” to the development of business in Georgia and have a “positive impact” on economic progress and business development.Speaking at the event organised by the Business Association of Georgia, Kobakhidze said the Government would need “continuous collaboration” with the business sector to overcome challenges facing the latter.“We will need to coordinate with business so that Government decisions on each of these issues are as rational as possible, and tailored to the interests of business and economic progress. We need new ideas from you in order to further increase the pace of economic development, improve the environment for doing business, and for investing in Georgia”, he said.The Prime Minister promised the Government would “work actively” with the business society to overcome “all challenges” and create the “best possible environment” for business.In comments on the challenges, Kokbakhidze mentioned the lack of a qualified labour force and said changes were needed in education to facilitate related development.

1709291013

Negotiations are underway with major Asian airlines on flights to Geor...

Tea Zakaradze participates in the route development forum Routes Asia 2024 in Malaysia. The largest airlines, airports, aviation authorities and decision-makers in the field of tourism from many countries of the world participate in the conference. The event includes panel discussions as well as bilateral meetings of airport and airline leaders.Within the framework of the forum, negotiations on the development of new direct air routes are underway with leading and fast-growing airlines in the Asian region, including Japan Airlines, China Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines, Air China and Air Asia Group, which includes AirAsia, Air Asia India, Philippines Air Asia, Indonesia AirAsia and Thai AirAsia. Also, meetings were held with the heads of Hainan Airlines, Etihad Airways, Thai Lion Air, Tianjin Airlines, Malaysia Airlines Berhad and the representatives of Beijing Airport.

1709207761

VZP Association is celebrating its anniversary - 2 years of achievemen...

Here we remind you that the status of VZP gives international and local IT-companies the opportunity to enjoy the tax benefits, which are regulated by the law adopted in 2011. However, the extent to which the activities of these companies were properly regulated was called into question after it was revealed that the Revenue Service imposed fines of millions of GEL on the companies that enjoyed the tax benefits. Obviously, this resulted in disputes between the companies, both in the tax office and in court.Due to the complexity of the problem, it would be impossible for the companies with the mentioned status to fight individually to protect their interests, and against this background, a legitimate need for creating the Association of Georgian Virtual Zone Persons naturally arose.Audit with interpreted conclusionsIf we follow the recent history of the sector in more detail, in 2021, mass audits of companies with VZP status began to determine whether their activities corresponded to the received preferential status.In the first stage - in the spring of 2021, the Tax Agency of Georgia started to contact the representatives of the companies with the status of Virtual Zone Persons and request various types of information.The tax agency disputed the fact that these companies created information technology products in the territory of Georgia. The companies were retrospectively cancelled the benefit in the profit tax and were required to pay the taxes from the previous period, starting in 2018. Here we should emphasize the fact that, it is still unknown what criteria and legal norms the tax authority relied on when determining the fact of the creation or non-creation of information technologies on the territory of Georgia.As a result of the tax audits, the fines imposed on the companies reached several million GEL.It was this difficult situation that led to the need to create the Association of Georgian Virtual Zone Persons. It was necessary to create a common space, a platform that would ensure the protection of the interests of VZP companies and the establishment of private-public dialogue.  The association was founded in February 2022.It is a non-profit organization that unites foreign investors and representatives of Georgian IT companies, which have been granted the status of a Virtual Zone Person.The primary goal of the Association is to protect the interests of its members and VZP companies and to ensure transparency in the regulation of their activities. By clarifying the legislation, the problem of unfair, retrospective taxation of companies with the status of a Virtual Zone by the tax authorities will be solved.The Association, which unites more than 40 IT companies, was headed by Shorena Kopaleishvili, a lawyer with many years of professional experience. During these two years, a number of important steps were made by the Association's team to protect the interests of the sector and each company."We believe that the regulatory legislation of such a promising field for the development of our country, such as information technology, should be clearly formulated and spelled out in the relevant legislative acts and should not be allowed to be misinterpreted by the representative of any agency. All the details of taxation for companies with the status of VZP should be spelled out in the Tax Code of Georgia and in the regulatory legislation of the mentioned field, not in the methodological references of the Revenue Service or in the so-called situation manuals. As it became known, one of the priorities of the Georgian government is the development of information technologies. In the published document "The main data and directions of the country for 2023-2026" we read that the government's goal is "to increase the number of specialists and companies in the field of information technology and innovation and promote the improvement of qualifications." To achieve this, it is necessary to: 1. analyze the current situation in the sector, identify challenges, and solve them; 2. support existing  companies and promote their activities; 3. create a legal framework that will clearly and transparently regulate the activities of companies operating in the information technology field; and 4. strengthen measures and programs aimed at the promotion of this industry, so that Georgia can position itself as one of the most attractive countries for this sector (including tax benefits). I think the business and the government should work in a coordinated way to overcome the existing challenges", - says Shorena Kopaleishvili, chairman of the VZP Association.What was doneIt is probably too early to talk about achieving the final goals, and it will be more of a process than some concrete landmark. However, the list of achievements that were made possible by Shorena Kopaleishvili's team through tireless work, intensive communication with various government agencies, cooperation, and involvement with tax experts, auditors, and partner associations is extensive, including:• Giving special importance to the problems of VZP companies. Due to the activity of the Association, the discussions of the problem began in state agencies (Revenue Service, Ministry of Finance, Parliament), European associations, and business community. There was also media coverage of the problem.• As a result of its qualified reasoning, the Association succeeded in canceling the first and second methodological references, and accordingly, it started reviewing the decisions made by the representatives of the revenue service against the members of the Association, recalculating the accrued taxes and fines, and removing or significantly reducing the fines imposed on the majority of companies.• The Association works diligently to establish clear criteria for tax purposes for IT-companies with Virtual Zone status.• The Association was able to enter the Parliament of Georgia with the request to initiate legislative changes.• The Association received the support of the Business Ombudsman of Georgia.• The Association was able to inform the European Business Association and other European representatives about the current challenges.• The policy carried out by the Association ensured an increase in interest in VZP status and the applications of companies.• The Association ensured the establishment of a successful public-private dialogue.• The Association was able to successfully resolve the tax disputes and related issues of a number of its member companies.Contribution of the VZP sector to the economy of GeorgiaThe introduction of the VZP status and the establishment of tax benefits for it were intended to bring both large and medium-sized international IT companies to the Georgian market, which should create new, high-paying jobs, bring more knowledge and education about this industry, contribute to stimulating the development of the country's economy, and more.As for the revenues of the country's budget from this sector, in the first 8 months of 2023, only 29.5 million GEL was paid to the budget by VZPs in the form of VAT. During this period, VZPs paid a 6.5 million GEL profit tax. The income tax reached an impressive rate, which amounted to 25.4 million GEL during the analysis period. If we sum up all the taxes, in the first 8 months of 2023, VZPs contributed 61.6 million GEL to the state budget.If we take into account that these payments are calculated taking into account tax benefits, it will be seen that the contribution of companies with this status to the real economy of Georgia is much greater, which means the creation of high-paying jobs, employment of qualified personnel in the IT field in Georgia, and therefore the outflow of specialists with such important qualifications from the country decreases, and they spend the high salaries received in the country.As for the last 5 years' statistics of payments to the state budget by the companies with VZP status, the dynamics have increased dramatically. In particular, VZP companies paid a total of 46 million GEL as taxes in 2019. In the pandemic year 2020, this indicator decreased slightly and amounted to 43.8 million GEL; however, from 2021 on, a sharp increase was observed - 67.3 million GEL. In 2022, this indicator reached 74 million GEL, and in only 8 months of 2023, 61.6 million GEL has been paid, and a significant increase in the total indicator of the year is expected after its calculation.What is the Association going to do?The association does not change its goals, and they are:• to unit more companies• Complete abolition of taxes, fines, and penalties for the past period• Achieving legislative changes• Establishing clear IT criteria for companies with VZP status• Close cooperation with government agencies and other partners• Facilitating the development of the information technology sector in the country

1708695544

The business of erotic evenings banned in Moscow was brought to Georgi...

"While our events have always complied with the law and created a safe environment for free expression, we have received a warning that any event that is sex-themed is not allowed," Kinky Party's Telegram channel said.TV company "Dozhd" notes that the next closed evening was supposed to be held in Moscow on February 17, but the organizers have already canceled the event."Now we are holding the events in Georgia and we hope to meet in other countries as well", - say the organizers.It is not clear in the statement whether they are already holding erotic evenings in Georgia, or if this is just a plan.

1707394852

The Competition Agency will also regulate influencers

The National Competition Agency is planning to start work on the regulation of the mentioned field this year, and the relevant guidance document should be ready by 2025.It is not yet known what other conditions will be set for the activities of influencers, however, as the agency told "Interpress News", "the main thing is transparency, because the customer should know that the company paid the influencer money for posting a video about a specific product or service."

1707133018

Who are "digital nomads", why do they choose Georgia and what kind of...

Who are these "digital nomads," why did this term become established recently, and why do they choose Georgia - these and many other questions were answered by Shorena Kopaleishvili, who is the chairman of one of the active Association of Georgian Virtual Zone Persons (VZP).  For information, the Association unites those international IT companies that entered the Georgian market thanks to tax incentives and creates high-paying jobs.- What is the "digital nomad" phenomenon, and who are these people? When and why did this trend emerge?Shorena Kopaleishvili: These are people who travel and work simultaneously (digital nomads). They are high-level professionals who are not required to work from an office. In general, they only require a reliable and high-speed Internet connection to work, but they also pay attention to other circumstances. The majority of these people work with digital technology, allowing them to work remotely.  This phenomenon emerged in the early 2000s, and the advent of modern technology has made this lifestyle possible, with the COVID-19 pandemic fueling its popularity even further.Many people have realized that not only is it possible to work remotely, but many people are more productive when they work remotely. However, there is a difference between digital nomads and remote workers. What separates them from each other is the "factor of traveling". Digital nomads generally travel and change locations, while remote workers generally work from home.- Georgia is ranked 24th among the 40 most attractive countries for "digital nomads." What other factors, besides the 6-month tax break and low cost of living, entice IT professionals to relocate to Georgia?Shorena Kopaleishvili: - As previously stated, "digital nomads" are people who travel frequently and relocate to find the best environment and workspace for them. The primary factors influencing these people's decision to live in one jurisdiction rather than another are more or less highlighted. These include visa availability, average internet speed in a given country, tax policy, healthcare system, cost of living in a foreign currency, developed tourism sector, appropriate climate, high level of security, and more.Georgia is considered a very attractive location for IT specialists; however, for the sake of objectivity, we should note that the reality in some cases differs. For example, Internet speed remains an issue in Georgia, and progress in this area is slow. Also, there is a lack of clear tax navigation for taxpayers. Another recurring theme in recent years has been the banking sector's lack of an accurate and clear compliance policy, which impedes the smooth operation of bank accounts and access to finance. I believe that collaborative efforts in this direction should be activated.There is already much known about the government's policy with regard to the development and support of the information technology sector, which is encouraging. The introduction of favorable taxation regimes for IT companies, such as Virtual Zone Person status and international company status, has been beneficial to the country. The result of this decision was the entry into the market of both large corporations and numerous startups. As a result, these factors have primarily contributed to the industry's growth and success. According to National Bank data, Georgia generated $231 million in revenue from software development and computer service provision in the first quarter of 2023. This is 322% higher than the result for the same period last year. I guess that the full 12-month figure is even higher and more impressive.- As for the quality of the Internet, what is the situation in this regard in the country today, and what steps should be taken by the providers to speed up the Internet and equal the speed of developed countries, even Spain, which is the most attractive for "digital nomads"?Shorena Kopaleishvili: - According to 2023 data, Georgia ranks 24th among attractive countries for "digital nomads." Only Georgia and Estonia were included in this ranking of post-Soviet countries, and our country lags behind the latter, particularly in terms of Internet quality. Georgia's internet speed averages 30 MB/s, which is quite low. However, I believe Georgia has taken significant steps in this direction. In November 2023, Freedom House's annual report on Internet freedom in the world was published, with Georgia receiving 25 points out of 100 and being classified as a "free" country in terms of Internet freedom. The Internet is fully accessible throughout Georgia. According to recent data, 89% of families have access to the Internet.The main challenge still remains limited market access and the dominance of a few large companies that control the core network infrastructure, reducing competition and the pace of quality growth.- We mentioned tax benefits. Are these benefits really attractive? For specialists who come individually, these may be favorable benefits, but what happens in this regard to large international companies, which were attracted by the tax benefits allowed for companies in the Virtual Zone?Shorena Kopaleishvili: - Georgia's preferential taxation regimes were very appealing to many international IT companies and specialists. In this regard, the Virtual Zone achieved one of the highest rankings. Since 2011, more than 1100 companies have received this status. The growth of the segment of companies with VZP status, as well as the entry of new large companies into this sector, would be even more active if there were no gaps/ambiguities in the tax legislation that governs this industry.Today, there are two preferential tax regimes for the IT industry:It should be noted that the tax and special legislation establishes different approaches, conditions, types of activities, obligations, and exceptions for each enterprise category to qualify for the benefit.- What is the difference between "digital nomads" and Virtual Zone? Which is more effective for the economy of the country?Shorena Kopaleishvili: - Although we are in contact with the information technology sector and the specialists who work in it, there is a distinction between the two. A company must meet several requirements for Virtual Zone Persons, including employing local personnel and having a material asset, among others. In addition, to be eligible for this status, you must be a resident enterprise in Georgia, not a natural person or an individual entrepreneur. Accordingly, this status for the country brings more positive economic effects in terms of budget taxes, and most importantly, this corporate model is more stable and sustainable in contrast to digital nomads, who, as individuals, may simply not like the country's climate anymore and decide to leave the country.- What are the plans of your Association for this year to regulate the problems that you talked about above?Shorena Kopaleishvili: - The Association of Georgian Virtual Zone Persons played an active and, one might say, decisive role in the processes involving the specific IT sector, in particular, VZP status companies. Everyone recalls the tax pressure these companies have faced since the end of 2021, which was primarily caused by flawed and ambiguous legal norms. Companies with this status have had the most difficult years, but we have managed to revise the taxation policy, resulting in the complete removal or significant reduction of taxes, fines, and penalties levied on companies.We still believe that the main and necessary condition for the development of this sector is to create a legal framework taking into account the best local and international business practices. It is impossible to develop this or that business sector if it does not have solid legal guarantees, a foreseeable tax policy, and a stable business environment.I think this year will be very productive in this direction, and the stated policy of the government will be reflected in concrete actionable steps. In turn, the Association and business are ready to engage in public-private dialogue to create a healthy and competitive business environment for IT companies to operate in Georgia.

1707132374

The FMCG sector of Georgia will trade GEL 21 billion in 2023

Among them, 39% of the total trade comes to branded chains, and 26% to non-branded stores. The share of pharmacies is 4%, and informal trade ranks second after branded chains with a 31 percent share.48% of FMCG sales come from Tbilisi, and 52% from the regions.The major share of sales is food - 71%, the second place is occupied by drinks - 12%, the third place -tobacco - 8%, the fourth place is household items - 5% and the last place is personal hygiene with 4%.The FMCG sector has grown by 14.2% in 2018-23, and according to analysts at Galt & Taggart, 10% growth will continue in 2024-28.Branded networks are distinguished by the growth of trade volumes. Their sales increased by 28.1% in 2018-23, while in other formats, sales increased by 8.8%.

1706521438

With the support of Basisbank, Arsi Group is building Sea Hills Reside...

The completion of the residential complex is scheduled for December 2024, with the turnover of residential units starting from 32.8 sq.m. These units will be available either in a black or white frame condition, or with fully finished interiors. Prospective buyers interested in acquiring an apartment can seamlessly apply for Basisbank's simplified mortgage loan through an online application process."Sea Hills stands out as an exceptional residential and investment venture, seamlessly blending top-notch infrastructure with a comprehensive array of services to craft a truly comfortable living environment for our residents. The successful realization of this project has been made possible through the steadfast support of Basisbank's highly skilled professional team. I am delighted that this significant project is being undertaken in collaboration with Basisbank, renowned for its unwavering reliability, ensuring our residents a warm, secure, and inviting living space," expressed Lika Koridze, the representative of Arsi Group."The backing of the construction sector stands as a paramount focus for Basisbank. These projects not only hold significance for the country at large but also play a pivotal role in fostering the growth of the construction industry and fortifying the economy. This collaboration is instrumental in bringing forth yet another multifaceted and highly reliable project in Batumi, further solidifying customer trust," affirmed Gigi Gabunia, the Commercial Director of Basisbank.

1706253266