Georgia will chair the European Audiovisual Observatory in 2024. The Communications Commission will organise EAO’s public media conference that same year. ComCom member Ivane Makharadze will represent Georgia on the EAO Executive Board. “We are honoured to assume EAO chairmanship from our Portuguese colleagues. We are ready to make a valuable contribution to the activities of the Observatory in 2024, and to work closely with our partners,” Mr. Makharadze stated. 

According to EAO Executive Director Susanne Nikoltchev, Georgia is a “dynamic and energetic” country that she is looking forward to working with. She emphasised that getting to know and showcasing Georgias audiovisual industry will be an interesting experience. Georgia’s chairmanship will also be supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Georgia’s permanent representative to the EU. 

The European Audiovisual Observatory has been operating under the umbrella of the Council of Europe since 1992. Its purpose is to analyses facts and data in the film, broadcasting and audiovisual industry in Europe. The organisation currently has 41 members. Georgia became a member in 2016, and is represented in EAO by the Communications Commission. 

Each June, the chair country of the EAO Executive Board conducts a public media conference on various current topics. This year, the conference will be organised by the Communications Commission, and held in Tbilisi on 12 June.