Customs and other state agencies of the Western Balkans will cooperate even more closely to exploit the potential of partnerships created in the constantly evolving digital landscape.

These were the main conclusions drawn from the Regional Conference on Trade Facilitation “Strengthening Collaborative Partnerships in the Digital Age”, held on November 8-9 in Tirana.

The conference brought together around 200 senior government and business representatives from the Western Balkans, Moldova, EU Member States, the European Commission, the World Customs Organization and the United States. The conference was organized within the GIZ project, “Support for Regional Economic Integration”, financed by the European Union and the German Government, in close cooperation with the General Directorate of Customs of Albania.

Ervin Mete, Minister of Finance and Economy of Albania, underlined the progress made in the regional economic integration and emphasized that the Berlin process is a good opportunity to fulfill the goals for the economic integration and development of the Balkan region.

Karl Bergner, ambassador of Germany in Albania, emphasized the importance of cooperative efforts for the economic growth of the region. “Regional economic integration is essential to succeed with economic reforms in the economies of the Western Balkans, and their commitment to create efficient trade policies that can meet the obligations of future EU membership must be strengthened. The major priority of these efforts is to accelerate the expansion agenda in the region and the implementation of the Berlin Process initiatives, which have already become an integral part of the EU’s policy towards the region”, he emphasized.

Genti Gazheli, Director General of Customs, underlined the importance of adaptive strategies in trade facilitation. Hubert Perr, the head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation in Albania, stated that the work to facilitate trade is fundamental, both for the development of the regional market, and for the integration into the common market of the EU.

Philippe Duponteil, Director of Digital Customs and Tax Policies (DG TAXUD) of the European Commission stated that “cooperation, partnership and trust are three words that go hand in hand in the world of customs.

These three words were the pillars of the European Commission in the last two years. On 17 May 2023, the Commission adopted the EU Customs Reform Package. This is the biggest and most ambitious reform since the creation of the Customs Union in 1968.

Kunio Mikuriya, secretary general of the World Customs Organization asserted that promoting regional trade facilitation is high on the OBD agenda.

Tanja Bošković, GIZ project manager, underlined the importance of cooperation in the economic integration of the region, emphasizing the importance of regional trade facilitation as a multi-sectoral, multi-dimensional and multi-institutional effort, which requires customs and other state agencies to work side by side to advance regional cooperation and integration.

Ines Muçostepa, president of the Union of Chambers of Commerce of Albania, stated that the Investment Forum of 6 Chambers of the Western Balkans has carried out a study that reveals the proposals of the business sector to the policy makers of the Western Balkans, some of which are investments in the most green and blue.

The conference was an opportunity to share good practices, not only within the EU but also from around the world, in order to promote more effective cooperation within the Western Balkans and with the EU.

The conference fostered dynamic discussions that chart the path to the region’s economic future and advocate for progressive collaborations. Participants emphasized the need for innovation and a new approach to trade facilitation as a premise for a bright and solid trajectory for the region’s economic prosperity.

/k.s/