Albania Investment Council, Main News, January – March 2022
- January 18, 2023
NEW PUBLICATION: “ON INVESTMENT CLIMATE 2015-2021”
31 January 2022
The Secretariat of Investment Council brings to the general public and its stakeholders the book “On Investment Climate 2015-2021”— an integral publication of the entire technical notes prepared in the frame of IC plenary meetings in close cooperation with a large number of stakeholders. The book includes chronologically 20 analysed topics (voted and agreed among the Investment Council members), structured around four main areas of key business concerns such as the enforcement of rule of law, tax and customs procedures, potentials for investment and incentives, informal economy.
IC DISCUSSES PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE INVESTMENT CLIMATE IN 2022
31 January 2022
Chaired by the Minister of Finance and Economy, Ms Delina Ibrahimaj, the Investment Council (IC) held an ad-hoc meeting to discuss the government’s intervention pillars for the improvement of the business climate in the country and decide on the 2022 IC agenda. During her speech, Minister Ibrahimaj informed that during the last months, MFE has intensively worked on the prioritisation of business associations’ recommendations for the improvement of the investment climate. In this frame, the Minister launched a work calendar related to several areas of intervention and improvements, inviting the business community and stakeholders to get involved in the respective technical working groups to be set up.
During the open discussion session, the business representatives such as AmCham, FIAA, ATTSO, UCCIAL, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tirana, Diaspora Chamber of Commerce, Producers Associations, Albanian Agricultural Council, etc. considered the initiative as highly appreciated, while expressed their support to proactively assist with their expertise as per the relevant areas of intervention.
Comparative Analysis: Covid-19 and Enterprises in Albania (2020-2021)
February 2022
One year after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Albanian local businesses say that they are using more technology and electronic services (87% of business respondents in 2021), while reflecting on how to better deal with future emergencies. Key problems across all sectors remain the lack of customers and liquidity shortages, while they continue to face more issues related to the supply of goods and raw materials from imports.
In this new comparative analysis, the Secretariat attempts to compare the companies’ responses during a one-year timeframe, and highlight the similarities and differences in the assessment of the business regarding the pandemic’s impact on their activity.
NEW PUBLICATION: MONITORING REPORT 2021
18 March 2022
Reporting on the implementation progress of the IC recommendations has become a systemic and well-structured function of the Council. This process cannot be formalised without active interaction with public and private stakeholders, advocacy in working groups, and research work.
Reporting on the implementation progress of the IC recommendations has become a systemic and well-structured function of the Council. This process cannot be formalised without active interaction with public and private stakeholders, advocacy in working groups, and research work.
SPEEDING UP THE IC RECOMMENDATIONS’ IMPLEMENTATION
March 2022
Çfarë mendojnë të rinjtë për aksesin në tregun e punës dhe kulturën e punës në vend?
To speed up the IC recommendation’s implementation, during the first quarter of 2022, the Secretariat’s team has been actively involved in three working groups organized by the MFE’s cabinet with experts and business representatives in the area of “fiscal framework”, “education and employment”, and “economy”, to prioritise the IC recommendations during 2022. These working groups have been established in follow up of the first IC meeting for 2022 for the prioritisation of MFE’s intervention for improvement of the investment climate.
LAUNCHING OF CONSULTATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING IC MEETING
March 2022
In its upcoming meeting, the IC will discuss the topic of “Consultation and transparency of government acts and initiatives to businesses and stakeholders.” As part of the 2022 IC agenda, this topic came upon the request of the IC members to discuss the importance of prior government-business consultation regarding initiatives, laws, reforms or measures that affect the business climate. Dynamics related to public consultation have never been addressed in an integral and dedicated way in the past IC meetings (2015-2021), although its aspects have been identified in the Secretariat’s analyses and ongoing consultations with stakeholders, chambers of commerce and business associations, development partners as well as the state institutions themselves.
During March, the Secretariat mapped relevant stakeholders from the public and private sectors, contacting them individually for collaboration in the frame of this topic. The collected comments and suggestions will contribute to the next analysis that the Secretariat is drafting aiming to explore and prioritize potential issues related to public consultation and government-business partnership.
DIASPORA’S BUSINESS WITH NEW INVESTMENT PROJECTS IN COHERENCE WITH INVESTMENT COUNCIL’S PRIORITIES
24 March 2022
The Secretariat of the Investment Council participated in the Partners Roundtable organised by the Albanian Diaspora Business Chamber (ADBC). In her intervention, the Head of the Secretariat of the Investment Council, Ms Diana Leka (Angoni), thanked ADBC for the spirit brought to the Investment Council (a permanent member since 2019), especially during the period before and after Covid-19 with relevant suggestions for the economic development of Albania, and for the coherence in advocating “Made in Albania” products, discussed as a priority at the IC in October 2019. In the context of stimulating local investments, Ms Leka highlighted the unique advantages of the country, while emphasizing the need for cooperation and partnership in facing together the local challenges of availability and quality of skills, a priority raised in the Investment Council since 2017.
Secretariat’s Recent Publications
On Investment Climate, 2015-2021
Secretariat’s Recent Publications
Comparative Analysis: Covid19 and enterprises in Albania (2020-2021)
Secretariat’s Recent Publications
Minutes of IC Meeting XXVI “Presentation of MFE’s Priority Intervention Pillars—in follow up of IC and Business Community Recommendations” (January 2022)
Secretariat’s Recent Publications
2021 IC Monitoring Report (March 2022)
Investment Council In The Media
About Albania Investment Council
Investment Council is a platform set up by the Albanian authorities with support from the EBRD to intensify the dialogue between the government and the private sector, improve the business climate and promote good governance. The work of the Council is supported by a Secretariat, an independent body of professionals selected and contracted by the EBRD to engage with the business community directly. Investment Council is supported by the Ministry of Finance and Economy, EBRD and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
