14 December 2022

The substantial involvement of the business fora in decision-making during membership negotiations is recognized as an element that enables a successful process.

With the goal of encouraging further transparency and accountability in the public-private consultation process in Albania and specifically in the EU negotiations process, ICC Albania with the support of the Dutch Embassy in Albania has commissioned a study conducted by ACIT Center.

This whitepaper aims to identify existing structural problems, as well as formulate some practical recommendations to facilitate interface and effective participation of the business fora in Albania in the EU negotiation process.

This report provides an overview of the current state of the public consultation processes and experiences from other candidate countries and MS alongside a set of findings and recommendations structured for the institutions, businesses, and international partners.

The study provides some concrete recommendations, the most important of which include:

  • Raising the organisational and technical capacities of institutional representatives;
  • Focusing more on specific topics rather than broad acquis chapters;
  • Organising capacity-building programmes for business associations to understand and then disseminate information to their members;
  • Empowering business associations by establishing a specialised point of contact and by enabling networking among experts;
  • Enhancing the international partners’ role in the process, especially by improving their coordination;
  • Designing and establishing a resource centre for business fora, aiming to provide all the necessary assistance to parties, for efficient participation in the negotiation process.

Get the document in English: Participation and involvement of the business fora in the EU negotiation process

Get the document in Albanian: Konsultimi dhe pjesëmarrja efektive e biznesit në negociatat për anëtarësim në BE