Albanian businesses, still not ready for EU standards - Heikkinen: Big gap between reforms and preparation of the private sector
How prepared are businesses to fulfill and benefit from the National Agenda reforms within the Economic Growth Plan?
At a roundtable organized on this topic, Ardian Hackaj, Director of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (CDI Albania), stated that a significant number of reforms that include regulatory harmonization, market access, fiscal compliance, employment conditions, data and digital infrastructure, determine the cost and predictability of doing business in Albania, as the country moves towards membership in the EU Common Market.
" We have identified between 17 and 19 reforms that directly affect the business sector, affect the costs of their compliance with the EU, but also the preparation for post-2030 ," said Hackaj.
Meanwhile, the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Albania stated that businesses are not yet ready to become part of the European Union.
"What we see is that businesses are not ready. Only 18% of businesses here have knowledge of EU standards, 60% about certifications and 10% reflect these requirements. Therefore, the gap between reforms and preparation is very significant. And that is why the EU Growth Plan was created. The aim of the Growth Plan is to close the 35% gap in economic convergence with the EU and double the economy through structural reforms and in the first pillar we should prioritize Albania's membership in the common market. We see progress, but perhaps not as much as necessary", said Ritva Heikkinen.
Also present at this meeting was the President of the Association of Foreign Investors in Albania, who emphasized that the main challenge in this process remains the implementation of reforms.
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