ISO 14001 and exporting to the EU from Georgia under the DCFTA

The DCFTA removed tariffs on Georgian goods entering the EU. It did not remove the environmental questions EU buyers ask their suppliers. ISO 14001 is the most widely recognised way to answer them.

The DCFTA in short

The EU-Georgia Association Agreement was signed on 27 June 2014. Its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) has been applied since 1 September 2014, and the full Agreement has been in force since 1 July 2016. The DCFTA removed import duties on goods and committed Georgia to approximate parts of its trade-related legislation with EU law, including technical regulations and environmental rules.

Market access is only the first step. To sell to an EU retailer, manufacturer or distributor, a Georgian producer of wine, hazelnuts, mineral water, food products, metals, construction materials or textiles still has to pass the buyer's supplier approval process.

What EU buyers ask Georgian suppliers

• A supplier code of conduct with environmental clauses, and evidence that you meet it.
• Data on energy use, emissions, water and waste, often requested every year for the buyer's own sustainability reporting.
• Proof of compliance with local environmental permits and laws.
• Answers to supplier audits or assessment platforms.
• For some products, emissions data under the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

An ISO 14001 certificate from an accredited certification body does not answer every question, but it shows that a system exists to identify environmental aspects, comply with legal requirements, set objectives and improve. Many buyers accept it in place of parts of their own audit.

CBAM

CBAM's definitive period started on 1 January 2026. EU importers of cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity must account for the embedded emissions of those goods, and they depend on data from their non-EU suppliers. ISO 14001 does not calculate embedded emissions. What it does provide is a controlled process for collecting, checking and retaining environmental data, which makes CBAM reporting to your EU importer more reliable. Exporters of goods in these categories should start with the data their importer needs.

ISO 14001:2026

A new edition, ISO 14001:2026, was published in April 2026 and replaces the 2015 edition. Certified organisations will have a transition period, expected to be about three years. The main changes include:

• a broader view of environmental conditions in the context analysis, including biodiversity, pollution and resource availability as well as climate;
• clearer separation of environmental aspects from wider risks and opportunities;
• a requirement to plan and control changes that affect the system;
• stronger emphasis on the life cycle perspective and on externally provided processes, products and services in the supply chain;
• internal audits with defined objectives.

New projects should be built to the 2026 edition.

Steps for a Georgian exporter

1. Scope. Define the sites and products in scope, for example a winery and its bottling plant, or a processing plant and its warehouse.
2. Legal register. List Georgian environmental requirements that apply to you, including permits, waste, water and emissions obligations, and any additional requirements from your EU buyers. Keep it current, since Georgian legislation continues to change as part of approximation with EU law.
3. Aspects and impacts. Identify environmental aspects across the life cycle, from raw materials and suppliers to transport and end of life.
4. Objectives and data. Set measurable objectives and a single process for environmental data that buyers ask for.
5. Operational control and emergencies. Procedures for waste, chemicals, spills and other significant aspects, with trained staff.
6. Internal audit and management review, then stage 1 and stage 2 certification audits by an accredited certification body.

Integration

Most exporters already have or need ISO 9001 for quality, and many need ISO 45001 for safety. Integrating the three avoids three sets of documents and three internal audits. See ISO 9001 steps and ISO 45001 in Georgia.

How BALTUM helps

We start with a gap assessment against ISO 14001:2026 and the requirements of your main EU buyers, build the legal register, aspects register and data process with your team, train staff and internal auditors, and support you through certification with an accredited body. Duration depends on scope and is set after the first assessment. Details are on our ISO 14001 page.

To discuss your export plans, use the form on this site or write to info@baltum.org.

Frequently asked questions

Does the DCFTA require ISO 14001 certification?

No. The DCFTA does not require ISO 14001. The requirement usually comes from EU buyers, who use it to check supplier environmental management.

Does ISO 14001 cover CBAM reporting?

Not directly. ISO 14001 does not calculate embedded emissions, but it gives you a controlled process for environmental data that supports the information your EU importer needs.

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