Albania and Kosovo eyeing the adoption of the customs facilitations

The simplification of customs procedures between Kosovo and Albania, reduction of waiting at border crossings and the establishment of a Kosovo customs office in the Port of Durres are some trade facilitations, which are soon expected to become legal between these two countries.

On January 26, the Government of Kosovo approved the Draft Law on the implementation of customs facilitation and control of entry and exit of goods. The same measure has been approved by the Government of Albania. It stems from the agreements that the two countries signed at the joint meeting of their governments, held on November 26 last year in Elbasan, central Albania.

Within days, the draft law is expected to be approved by the Assembly of Kosovo.

“On January 27, this draft law was reviewed by the Assembly and we distributed it to the deputies on January 28. Two week – time is needed for it to be presented to the plenary session,” Ismet Krasniqi, Secretary General of the Assembly of Kosovo, confirmed for Radio Free Europe on Sunday.

Representatives of businesses in Kosovo have complained for years that Albania imposed trade barriers when exporting their products to this country, or when they used Albania as a transit point to export to European Union countries.

For a transit crossing in the territory of Albania the shoe factory “Solid” from Kosovo pays close to 80 euros, says Shpejtim Kuqi, director of the company. “Albania does not recognize the transit that takes place in Kosovo. It wants to make a transit in Kukës and a scan of goods in Durrës. It takes time and it’s costly,” he said.

Acceleration of transit procedures is also one of the points of trade facilitation agreements reached between Kosovo and Albania.

The website of the Albanian Customs authority says that there is already a common transit system.

The executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, Arian Zeka, told Radio Free Europe that with the approval of the draft laws on trade facilities, the possibility is close that the barriers between the two countries will end. “The approval of these draft laws enables the ratification of agreements and these trade barriers between the two countries will no longer have a legal basis to exist,” said Zeka.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama have promised in the last meeting of their governments that they will eliminate all trade barriers imposed on the businesses of the two countries.

The value of products exchanged between the two countries differs. In 2020, Albania exported to Kosovo goods worth about 200 million euros, while Kosovo exported to Albania goods worth over 110 million euros. Data for 2021 have not been published yet. / Argumentum.al