TIRANA, March 19 – Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj launched an event marking Albania’s 2026 chairmanship of the Central European Free Trade Agreement, calling it a key moment to advance regional economic integration and move closer to the European Union single market. She said the 20th anniversary of the agreement brings a clear responsibility to deliver concrete results.

Ibrahimaj stressed that the agreement serves as a key instrument for building a functional regional market and implementing initiatives such as the Regional Common Market and the European Union Growth Plan. She said Albania will focus on practical measures that deliver direct economic impact. Priorities include reducing border delays and costs, expanding green corridors, and strengthening institutional cooperation.

She also highlighted the importance of digitalizing trade procedures through paperless systems and reliable digital services. She said authorities will continue work on mutual recognition of standards and certifications to remove barriers and ease the movement of goods. Trade data showed that Albania’s exchanges with member countries reached about 123 billion lek in 2025, while the country maintained a positive trade balance. Kosovo remained the main export destination, while Serbia led imports.

Ibrahimaj noted that recent export declines underline the need to deepen integration and improve efficiency. She said success must reflect real economic impact for businesses. The agreement’s director, Pranvera Kastrati, said it acts as a practical platform for trade and alignment with European Union standards. She highlighted digital data exchange covering 1.4 million trucks in 2025, reducing waiting times and lowering certification costs. She added that further digital expansion and coordination will strengthen regional trade.

/a.p./