Kosovo and Greece were among the main drivers of Albania’s export growth in September 2026. Meanwhile, the European Union remained the country’s leading trading partner, accounting for 54.6% of total foreign trade.

According to INSTAT’s foreign trade data, exports to Kosovo rose by 22.5% year-on-year in September, while shipments to Greece increased by 13.9%. However, exports to Italy fell by 4% and those to Switzerland declined by 3.8%.

On the import side, Turkey and Greece recorded the strongest annual growth, at 6.8% and 3.8%, respectively. By contrast, imports from Italy dropped by 14.1%, while those from China fell by 7%.

The EU continued to play a major role in Albania’s foreign trade. In September, EU member states received 68.7% of Albania’s total exports and supplied 48.9% of its imports. Overall, trade with the bloc accounted for 54.6% of the country’s foreign trade.

Albania also recorded an increase in the value of exports during the month. Exports reached 31.2 billion lek, up 14.8% from September 2025 and 52.1% from August 2026.

Imports totalled 78.6 billion lek, marking a 4.8% annual increase. Meanwhile, the trade deficit narrowed by 0.9% year-on-year and 13.9% month-on-month, falling to 47.3 billion lek.