Georgia's Retail and E-Commerce Association (REA) is calling for TEMU and other international online marketplaces to pay taxes in Georgia, arguing that they should be subject to the same rules as local businesses.
Speaking to BMGTV, REA Chair Tamar Gogolashvili said the association has begun discussions with the government's economic ministries to introduce VAT collection for platforms that conduct business in Georgia. She suggested a digital system under which VAT would be added at checkout and transferred directly to the Georgian state budget.
Gogolashvili noted that Georgia introduced a similar model for digital services provided by companies such as Google and Facebook in 2021. She said extending the approach to international e-commerce platforms would help create fairer competition for domestic retailers.
The association is also discussing the future of Georgia's GEL 300 duty-free threshold for imported parcels. According to Gogolashvili, authorities are considering either revising or abolishing the exemption as part of broader efforts to address the rapid growth of cross-border online shopping.
