Albania Investment Council: Main News, July – September 2022
- January 18, 2023
LAUNCHING OF THE ANNUAL SURVEY: “For the Improvement of the Investment Climate”
25 July 2022
The Secretariat launched its annual survey on the investment climate (2021-2022), focusing this time not only on the identification of the challenges that private companies encounter during the interaction with the tax administration but also on the approach that they use to retrain employees or the channels they use for recruitment/training.
The survey findings will be published on our website at the end of October.
SURVEY: “Challenges of the Labour Force among Young People”
1 September 2022
The availability of the labour force and the emigration of young age groups have brought immense difficulties for business in the country. Despite the increasing need for a skilled labour force, young age groups continue to encounter challenges integrating sustainably into the labour market.
To understand some of these challenges, we conducted a mini questionnaire on our social media platforms, reaching to date over 250 responses.
The survey findings will be published on our website at the end of October.
Launching of the regional consultations for the upcoming ic meeting
5 September 2022
In its upcoming meeting, the IC will discuss the topic “Private sector and the challenge of the workforce.” As part of the 2022 IC agenda, this topic came upon the request of the IC members to discuss the challenges faced by the private sector to secure a skilled workforce. The moment is especially critical post-Covid-19 and in the new era of the digital revolution, local demographic crisis, and global competition. Despite to-date interventions, the problem remains systemic. The private sector claims that although it can identify the issue, it cannot solve it by itself, demanding more support with quick-win intervention policies.
During September, the Secretariat mapped relevant stakeholders from the public and private sectors, contacting them individually for collaboration in the frame of this topic. For broad inclusiveness, 30 consultation meetings were held in 6 districts (Tirana, Shkodra, Durres, Berat, Saranda, Gjirokastra) with the local business, chambers of commerce, professional schools, labour offices, etc. The collected comments and suggestions will contribute to the upcoming analysis that the Secretariat is drafting, aiming to explore and prioritise potential issues related to the topic.
For the improvement of the business climate – Dialogue with business associations and chamber of commerce
9 September 2022
The Prime Minister of Albania, H.E. Mr Edi Rama, and the Minister of Finance and Economy (also the Chair of the Investment Council), Ms Delina Ibrahimaj, organised a meeting with business associations, chambers of commerce and IC members on the progress of the consultation process regarding the business recommendations for improving the business climate (a process already initiated in the last quarter of 2021, and formally launched in the IC meeting on 31 January 2022). The list of recommendations includes 26 from the IC, mainly related to reducing informality, improving public services, accelerating digitisation, facilitating e-commerce, simplifying inspection processes, and improving human capital skills.
During this round table, the business representatives raised various concerns related primarily to the energy crisis, legal issues, and the lack of a labour force. At the same time, they also expressed their appreciation for the format and work of the Investment Council as an effective platform of public-private dialogue.
Exchanging views on the business environment with the EBRD’S Vice President
19 September 2022
The Secretariat organised a round table with its business members and the EBRD’s Vice President for Policy and Partnerships, Mr Mark Bowman, EBRD’s Managing Director for Central and South East Europe, Ms Charlote Ruhe, and Head of EBRD Albania, Ms Ekaterina Solovova to exchange views on the business environment and main challenges of the Albanian private sector (competitiveness, labour force, digitalisation, circular economy, etc.).
FOCUS GROUP MEETING: “Challenges of the young generation to enter the labour market”
29 September 2022
The participants said that the Secretariat’s findings truly reflect the reality their peers face and mentioned that more should be done to improve people’s mentality about work, starting from the family and continuing with society in general. They emphasised that the young generation should be better oriented toward practicality, where schools can play a crucial role by re-inventing themselves and adapting to the current needs of the labour market.
Secretariat’s recent publications | July 2022
Albania’s Economic Outlook Indicators
Secretariat’s recent publications | January – August 2022
Progress of IC Recommendations
INVESTMENT COUNCIL’S MENTIONING IN THE MEDIA
ABOUT ALBANIA INVESTMENT COUNCIL
The participants said that the Secretariat’s findings truly reflect the reality their peers face and mentioned that more should be done to improve people’s 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).about work, starting from the family and continuing with society in general. They emphasised that the young generation should be better oriented toward practicality, where schools can play a crucial role by re-inventing themselves and adapting to the current needs of the labour market.
