UNECE will undertake a study of the regulatory and procedural barriers to trade in Albania. The announcement was made during the visit of UNECE Executive Secretary Christian Friis Bach to Albania, on 26-27 January, where he participated in the National Conference in Elbasan and held a series of bilateral meetings with government officials, including Ministers Arben Ahmetaj (Economic Development Trade and Entrepreneurship) and Edmond Panariti (Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration).
The outcome of the study will be used for the implementation of Albania’s National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) for the period 2014-2020. Drawing on UNECE’s evaluation methodology, the study will focus on Albania’s trade facilitation conditions and system of standards, technical regulations, quality assurance and metrology, with the aim of capturing behind and at-the-border trade-related procedural and regulatory barriers to trade. The study will highlight the inter-play between the identified barriers and their impact on export competitiveness; provides detailed recommendations that could be turned into action plans; and, identifies areas for joint-action.
UNECE will conduct the study following a participatory approach with the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Economic Development. It is located under the office of the Prime Minister and coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Entrepreneurship. The National Economic Council will also participate by bringing together representatives of the private sector, public sector and donors. UNECE will also work closely with the Italian – Albanian SMEs Development Program, a joint initiative between the Italian Development Cooperation and the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Entrepreneurship of Albania. The program is actively involved in supporting the country’s enterprise development efforts, and will co-finance the study.
The study will also build on experience gained from previous and ongoing national assessment studies, carried out by UNECE in Belarus (2011), Kazakhstan (2012), Tajikistan (2013) and Kyrgyzstan (on-going). UNECE will assist the Government of Albania in designing a prioritised action plan and projects for implementing the recommendations emanating from the study. The projects will be designed in collaboration with other UN agencies and development partners to bring about synergies, guided by the UN Delivering as One principle.
For more information, please visit: http://www.unece.org/tradewelcome/studies-on-procedural-and-regulatory-barriers-to-trade.html