Table of Contents
1. Regulations and Policies
1.1 Trade Regulations and Policies
1.1.1 Principal Authority Governing Trade
1.1.2 Trade Regulations System
1.1.3 Relevant Provisions on Trade Administration
1.1.4 Inspection and Quarantine of Imported and Exported Commodities
1.1.5 Customs Administration Rules and Regulations
1. Regulations and Policies
1.1 Trade Regulations and Policies
1.1.1 Principal Authority Governing Trade
Albania's government department overseeing trade is the Ministry of Finance and Economy, which is responsible for formulating and implementing policies on the economy, tourism, trade, and enterprises; enforcing bilateral and multilateral economic and trade agreements; providing government assistance; regulating markets; awarding and supervising concession contracts; managing privatization; overseeing free trade zones; and issuing economic and trade licenses.
1.1.2 Trade Regulations System
Albania's main trade-related laws include the Law on Merchants and Trade Companies, the Law on Competition, the Law on Bankruptcy, and the Law on Anti-Dumping, among others.
1.1.3 Relevant Provisions on Trade Administration
For imports, Albania prohibits the importation of weapons, radioactive materials, dual-use goods, waste (except for recyclable, processed, and reusable materials), ozone-depleting substances, endangered wild animals and plants, and narcotics. As for exports, there are no restrictions on products other than scrap metal, which is subject to an export ban. Prohibited scrap metals include waste and scrap of precious metals, pig iron and steel, copper (with the exception of scrap copper), other cast copper, nickel, aluminum (excluding imported aluminum packaging), lead, zinc, and tin. In April 2008, the Albanian government passed a new Law on the Import and Export of Military Equipment (Law No. 9707) to regulate the import and export of weapons.
1.1.4 Inspection and Quarantine of Import and Export Goods
In Albania, inspection and quarantine responsibilities are divided by sector: the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy oversees industrial goods, while the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development handles agricultural and food products. Currently, there is no specialized quarantine law in Albania.
1.1.5 Customs Administration Regulations
Albania's General Directorate of Customs is under the Ministry of Finance and Economy. In August 1992, Albania joined the World Customs Organization (WCO). In August 2014, Albania promulgated its new Customs Law (Law No. 102/2014), drafted in accordance with EU customs rules. All its provisions took effect on June 1, 2017. Albanian customs adopts the WCO’s Harmonized System and the EU's commodity coding system. According to World Trade Organization (WTO) data, in 2022 Albania's average applied import tariff rate was 6.6%, including 9.7% for agricultural products and 6.1% for non-agricultural products.
Albania grants preferential import tariffs under the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the European Union, and Turkey. For example, it applies zero tariffs on certain industrial products and follows respective agreements for agricultural products.
To boost exports and reduce trade deficits, Albania largely maintains an open import and export system aligned with international norms. Besides tariffs, imports are subject to a value-added tax (VAT) at a general rate of 20%, and certain products—such as tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and fuel—also incur excise duties.
In 2013, the Albanian government amended the implementing regulations of the Customs Law, allowing companies to apply for an agreement with the General Directorate of Customs to receive 24-hour clearance services outside normal working hours.
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China. The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China version shall prevail.