History of National Bureau of Enforcement starts from 2000. There were bailiffs (now enforcement officers) before the establishment. They were located in court premises. Bailiffs enforced court decisions. Cases between bailiffs were distributed according to districts of Tbilisi.
Tbilisi Bureau as a district-free unified system was established in 2002.
Establishment of the enforcement Bureau as a separate Service was preconditioned by adoption of the Law on Enforcement Proceedings of Georgia in 1999. Enforcement department was supervised by the Ministry of Justice and it was its structural unit. The Service was led by the Department head who had two assistants, one of them supervising the Eastern and the other Western Georgia. Enforcement Proceedings division was their subordinate unit where incoming applications and claims were reviewed and accordingly treated.
As to the enforcement officers, they were still known as Bailiffs, but their work station was in the enforcement bureau. Enforcement cases were not divided into different categories. As opposite to today's situation, each enforcement officer managed cases of all categories.
Enforcement Bureau was led by the Head of Bureau who was appointed and dismissed from the position by the Ministry of Justice upon introduction of Chairman of the Enforcement Department.
Alongside with the Enforcement Department enforcement police was established, supporting enforcement of decisions together with enforcement officers.
There was an investigation group in the enforcement police, its functions being conferred by the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia according to current legislation.
On October 1, 2008 Enforcement Department of the Ministry of Justice was transformed into National Bureau of Enforcement and became a legal entity of public law. Significant changes started in the system. It became more transparent. Fulfilment of secured demand of every single citizen became the direct interest and motivation of the National Bureau of Enforcement and its enforcement officers. The system was switched to paid mode which offers instant and efficient service to customers.
The problem of premises was partially solved - offices were allocated for National Bureau of Enforcement and Tbilisi Enforcement Bureau.
International relations were established as well - projects were launched together with the Swedish International Development Agency, American Lawyers Association and GTZ (German Society for Technical Cooperation). Within the sidelines of the projects, experts assisted in elaborating system development strategy, conducting trainings for enforcement staff, paying study visits to Sweden, preparing practical manuals for enforcement officers as well as planning preventive informational campaigns.
In 2009 official website of National Bureau of Enforcement was launched - www.enforcement.justice.gov.ge (www.nbe.gov.ge). Information about auctions, services, rights and responsibilities of enforcement officers, legal guarantees of a creditor and a debtor, etc. are systematically posted on the web. Besides, there is a hot line available (+995 32 2 405 405) that has even further improved public relations.
In June 2009 institution of private enforcement officers was established. Their activities are controlled by the Ministry of Justice that provides licenses to private persons who independently, with authorities and means identical to state enforcement officers, enforce decisions (generally on civil cases). The institution is still undergoing certain improvements.
On October 1, 2009 National Bureau of Enforcement started using software for case management. As a result, the operation of the Enforcement Bureau became online. Moreover, a creditor and a debtor can receive detailed information about the case proceedings online without even leaving home. Each assignment or complaint received in National Bureau of Enforcement or its territorial bureaus is automatically registered in the programme.
On May 24, 2010 presentation of the new head office took place and today the legal address of National Bureau of Enforcement of the Ministry of Justice is: 10th km, D. Aghmashenebeli alley. The office is equipped with modern facilities and meets the required standards. Staff of National Bureau of Enforcement and Tbilisi Enforcement Bureau work in the premises. .
National Bureau of Enforcement has 8 regional offices countrywide. Their transfer to European standards is still under way. New offices have already opened in Kvemo Kartli, Imereti, Guria, Shida Kartli and Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Adjara and Kakheti.
