The agreement inked between Albania and Kosovo, which seeks to streamline customs procedures for inspecting non-animal origin products, has been officially disclosed. This five-year agreement, with the possibility of renewal, primarily focuses on boosting trade, eliminating trade barriers, and optimizing inspection processes.
According to the agreement, both parties have consented to conducting inspections for non-animal origin food products – during import, transit, and export – at either the Border Inspection Point or the nearest customs office in the destination country, based on the request of the concerned entity.
Competent authorities in each nation will permit the import and export of such products, provided they are accompanied by recognized certificates, analytical reports, or other suitable documentation adhering to each party’s respective legislation, thereby ensuring food safety.
Furthermore, the agreement stipulates that the competent authorities in each nation will mutually inform one another about risk-based control plans and regulatory measures sanctioned in the realm of food safety. Import and export inspections for non-animal origin food products will be predicated on risk assessments.
To execute this agreement, the respective agricultural institutions will engage in knowledge exchange through professional publications and jointly organize training sessions, thus enhancing cooperation in the domain of food safety.
The agreement also incorporates provisions for dispute resolution, with oversight entrusted to representatives of the competent authorities from the Ministries of Agriculture in both Albania and Kosovo.
Effective from the date of signing, the agreement spans five years, automatically renewing for an additional five-year term unless one of the parties formally requests termination in writing via diplomatic channels, a minimum of three months prior to the culmination of the prevailing validity period.
This agreement marks a pivotal milestone in a series of agreements between the two nations, reinforcing their commitment to bolstering economic cooperation. Trade between the two countries for the initial seven months of this year surpassed 30 billion Albanian lek, with exports to Kosovo amounting to 23.7 billion Albania lek within the January-July timeframe, and imports totaling 6.4 billion Albanian lek.
Moreover, collaborative working groups from both nations are actively engaged in conducting an analysis for the establishment of a customs union. This endeavor aims to eradicate all bureaucratic impediments between the two countries, ensuring unobstructed trade cooperation.
