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The electricity sector is mostly privately owned and nearly fully liberalized. Only transmission, dispatch and the largest hydropower plant Enguri are owned by the State, whereas all the other generation and distribution assets are privately owned. Newly constructed small hydro plants with installed capacity of less than 13 MW are deregulated. Bundled ownership of generation and distribution assets is allowed. The Georgian authorities expect that the electricity sector will be opened by 2017-2020.

Most state-owned enterprises (SOEs) were privatized before the review period and currently the major SOEs include: Georgian Railways (the only major market player), Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation (GOGC), Georgian State Electrosystem (GSE) and the Enguri hydropower plant. (...)

Table 3.18 Prices set by the GNERC (Georgian Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission)
Electricity:
- Deregulated prices: Small hydropower plants (HPP) (up to 13 mw) and power plants constructed after 2008 are deregulated.
(...)

The state retains a controlling interest in air traffic control, shipping traffic control, railroad control systems, defence and weapons industries, and nuclear energy. (...)

(…) Legal overhauls in 2005 [13] simplified the business registration process, reducing paperwork and fees and shortening the processing time. (…)

[13] (...) The law requires the State to retain a controlling interest in air traffic control, shipping traffic control, railroad control systems, defence and weapons industries, and nuclear energy. (...)

Table 3.18 Prices set by the GNERC (Georgian Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission)
(...)
Water:
- The Commission sets and regulates the following prices:
Drinking water supply and waste-water treatment tariffs.

Table 3.19 Selection of large SOEs owned by the State Property Agency
(US$ million)
Name/ operation Total asset
value Activity Operating
revenue Operating profit
National High Technology Centre of Georgia 5 Isotope separation, isotopes of compounds and clean materials manufacturing 2 0.13
(...)

The Patent Law contains limitations on the exclusive rights of a patent holder to ensure the fair use of patents: according to Article 52, the use of invention in the case of natural disaster, catastrophe, epidemic or other emergency situations is not considered as a violation of exclusive rights. The authorities stated that upcoming amendments of the Patent Law foresee the
re-introduction of compulsory licensing.

The MOA (Ministry of Agriculture) elaborated an Agriculture Development Strategy 2015-2020, with a view to creating an environment that capable of increasing competitiveness of the agro-food sector, promoting stable growth of high-quality agricultural production, ensuring food safety and security, and eliminating rural poverty through sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas. The Strategy includes seven major targets:
(...)
• ameliorating soil fertility;
(...)
• dealing with climate change, protecting the environment, and maintaining biodiversity.

(...) In 2014, a Scientific Research Centre of the MOA was created to contribute to the development of agriculture and food production. It intends to promote the preservation of animal and plant agro biodiversity; reconstruct the breed selection stations; support animal breeding activities and develop seed/planting material standardization and certification systems; introduce new technologies; provide extension services to farmworkers; conduct risk assessment in food safety, veterinary and plant protection; and support the development of biologically clean agriculture.