Albania will assume the 2026 CEFTA Presidency, with Minister Delina Ibrahimaj outlining the four strategic priorities that will guide the country’s mandate for the coming year.
According to Ibrahimaj, the presidency comes at a crucial moment as CEFTA seeks to move into a more ambitious phase, aligned with the region’s European integration path and economic modernization goals.
The Four Strategic Priorities Are:
1. Strengthening political and institutional cooperation among CEFTA parties
Albania aims to deepen coordination mechanisms and reinforce institutional dialogue to ensure that all CEFTA members contribute more actively to the implementation of joint commitments.
2. Enhancing transparency and participation of economic and social stakeholders
Greater involvement of businesses, chambers of commerce, and social partners will be encouraged, ensuring that policy design reflects real sector needs and improves accountability.
3. Delivering concrete results for businesses
A strong focus will be placed on facilitating the movement of goods, advancing the Green Lanes, improving rules for tourism flows, and supporting agro-food trade, with the goal of reducing barriers and making regional trade more predictable and efficient.
4. Supporting higher-value investments through a more harmonized and predictable regional market
Albania plans to push for clearer standards, improved regulatory alignment, and measures that make the region more attractive for value-added investments.
Minister Ibrahimaj emphasized that this is a pivotal moment for CEFTA, underlining Albania’s commitment to “driving the process forward in the spirit of European integration and shared regional economic development.”
