Trade with European Union member states accounts for a substantial 58.5% of Albania’s overall trade volume.
As per the recently released foreign trade report by the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), for the period spanning from January to August of the current year, exports to EU nations constitute a significant 72.7% of the total export value, while imports from EU countries represent 51.5% of the total imports.
Leading trade partners include Italy at 29.4%, China at 7.8%, Turkey at 6.8%, and Greece at 6.7%.
During this eight-month period, Albania experienced the most significant decrease in exports, in comparison to the previous year, with Italy at 11%, Germany at 28.3%, and China at 23.2%.
Conversely, the countries witnessing the most substantial export growth include Kosovo at 10%, Greece at 17.1%, and Spain at 9.9%.
According to the latest foreign trade report from INSTAT, during the period spanning January to August, Albania’s exports to Kosovo reached 27.5 billion Albanian lek, a notable rise from the 25 billion lek reported during the same eight-month period in 2022.
In contrast, imports during this eight-month period totaled 7.5 billion lek, a reduction from the 10.4 billion lek recorded in the previous year’s eight-month period.
Albania’s primary exports to Kosovo include construction materials, metals, minerals, combustible materials, food products, as well as chemical and plastic items.
Locally manufactured wooden and furniture products, such as chairs and other furnishings, also contribute significantly to the export structure.
Agricultural goods, including tomatoes, citrus fruits, apricots, and cucumbers, constitute another important portion of the exports.
Data indicates that during this eight-month period, Albania exported approximately 11.1 billion lek worth of construction materials and metals to Kosovo, along with about 5.4 billion lek of minerals, combustible materials, and electrical energy.
Since October 1, 2022, all goods destined for Kosovo have been processed through Durrës Customs, resulting in expedited clearance procedures.
Currently, 1040 businesses from Kosovo benefit from this branch, experiencing not only time savings but also reduced customs costs. Notably, merchandise and containers cleared in Durrës for the Kosovo market have increased by 50% this year alone.
Additionally, joint working groups from both Albania and Kosovo are actively collaborating to conduct an analysis for customs integration, aiming to eliminate bureaucratic barriers between the two nations and ensure seamless trade cooperation.
INSTAT’s data highlights that, during this eight-month duration, Albania saw the most significant decrease in imports from Italy at 3.8%, Turkey at 21.1%, and Greece at 22.5%.
In contrast, the countries registering the most significant import growth are China at 31.5%, Germany at 9.5%, and Switzerland at 78%.
