The European Commission has published the progress report for Albania for 2025, assessing that the country is making positive steps, however this does not apply to the food safety sector.
The report highlights that Albania has not made sufficient progress in Chapter 12, Food Safety, which is considered one of the most difficult chapters to align with EU standards. The main shortcomings are the animal registry and the monitoring of diseases that threaten animal and human health.
"The verification and registration of animal numbers at the national level continued, there is still much work to do to improve the animal register with additional information on other animals, as foreseen in the EU indictment," the report says.
The report highlights that Albania has continued to implement programs to monitor brucellosis and tuberculosis in herds of cattle, but has taken steps back in the fight against rabies.
"Albania did not continue the rabies vaccination campaign. Necessary measures should be taken to harmonize actions by following the regional approach to the control and elimination of rabies," it further states.
In November, the AKU blocked over 500 tons of Serbian corn, a feed for animals, after it was suspected of being contaminated with aflatoxin. This action, however, is insufficient for the EU, which is demanding more testing and the construction of a new system of laboratories at border crossings.
"Resources should be dedicated to the network of official laboratories for border control, so that they are carried out according to EU standards," the report states.
In Chapter 11, on agriculture and rural development, the European Commission reiterates its request to open the IPARD programme. The EU stresses that Albania must increase capacity and supervision to gain confidence in the implementation of IPARD III, recalling that the funds were suspended three years ago due to misuse, when European citizens' money was used by elements of the criminal world, not by farmers.
