Today, a joint conference was held between Kosovo Manufacturing Club, the Union of Albanian Producers and the Albanian National Manufacturers Economic Forum about the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers for the free trade and economic flow between Kosovo and Albania.
Representatives of three business organizations gathered to address the specific requirements addressed to respective governments of Kosovo and Albania, regarding the issues that local manufactures of both countries (Kosovo and Albania) encounter during their activity.
Director of the Kosovo Manufacturing Club, Astrit Panxha, who opened the conference, said there is an increase in trade exchange between Kosovo and Albania. According to him, Kosovo has 50 million euro export to Albania, but as he said compared to the potential, this is a still a low volume. At the same time, he invited the Government of Kosovo and that of Albania to implement the agreements reached so far. “The two governments have signed 15 agreements to date, but this is not reflected in facilitating on the placing of Kosovo’s products in Albania. The Albanian market, should be a continuation of the Kosovo market,” Mr.Panxha said.
The President of Union of Albanian Producers, Mr.Filip Gjoka, emphasized the importance of implementing these agreements in providing an appropriate climate of doing business for both countries.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Fatmir Limaj announced that there will be institutional support for the manufactures of the both countries. He said that for Kosovo and Albania is good news that the two promoters of the two countries are making positive steps towards the economic development of the two countries. Limaj added that “Both the Government of Kosovo and Albania have a duty to support the creation of a strong business partnership, and both countries must abolish all taxes.”
Minister of Trade and Industry, Bajram Hasani announced that the trade balance between Kosovo and Albania is 3 to 1, where Kosovo exports to Albania only 50 million, while the latter exports to Kosovo about 150 million. ”
“We are working hard as a ministry to make our products more qualitative for the European market as well.” It is good news that the manufactures from both countries reached an agreement with each other. We are also working to proceed as soon as possible with the law on internal trade, “he said.
At the end of the conference, the formal requests of the representatives of the three business organizations were submitted to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Fatmir Limaj.