RESTRICTED WT/TPR/S/337 23 March 2016 (16-1653) Page: 1/119 Trade Policy Review Body TRADE POLICY REVIEW REPORT BY THE SECRETARIAT ALBANIA This report, prepared for the second Trade Policy Review of Albania, has been drawn up by the WTO Secretariat on its own responsibility. The Secretariat has, as required by the Agreement establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization), sought clarification from Albania on its trade policies and practices. Any technical questions arising from this report may be addressed to Masahiro Hayafuji (tel: 022 739 5873); and Pierre Latrille (tel: 022 739 5266). Document WT/TPR/G/337 contains the policy statement submitted by Albania. Note: This report is subject to restricted circulation and press embargo until the end of the first session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on Albania. This report was drafted in English. WT/TPR/S/337 • Albania - 2 - CONTENTS SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 6 1 ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 10 1.1 Recent Economic Developments.................................................................................. 10 1.2 Fiscal Policy ............................................................................................................. 12 1.3 Monetary and Exchange Rate Policy ............................................................................ 13 1.4 Balance of Payments ................................................................................................. 13 1.5 Developments in Trade and Investment ....................................................................... 14 1.5.1 Developments in merchandise trade ......................................................................... 14 1.5.2 Composition of trade .............................................................................................. 14 1.5.3 Direction of trade ................................................................................................... 15 1.5.4 Trade in services ................................................................................................... 17 1.6 Foreign Direct Investment ......................................................................................... 17 2 TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIME ............................................................................ 20 2.1 General Framework .................................................................................................. 20 2.1.1 Institutional framework .......................................................................................... 20 2.1.2 Trade policy formulation and implementation ............................................................. 21 2.2 Trade Policy Objectives ............................................................................................. 22 2.3 Trade Agreements and Arrangements .......................................................................... 22 2.3.1 WTO .................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.2 Regional and preferential agreements ....................................................................... 25 2.4 Investment Regime .................................................................................................. 26 3 TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE ........................................................ 31 3.1 Measures Directly Affecting Imports ............................................................................ 31 3.1.1 Customs procedures and requirements ..................................................................... 31 3.1.2 Customs valuation ................................................................................................. 34 3.1.3 Rules of origin ....................................................................................................... 34 3.1.4 Tariffs .................................................................................................................. 35 3.1.4.1 Applied tariffs ..................................................................................................... 35 3.1.4.2 Tariff bindings .................................................................................................... 37 3.1.4.3 Tariff preferences ................................................................................................ 37 3.1.5 Other charges affecting imports ............................................................................... 38 3.1.5.1 Value-added tax (VAT) ......................................................................................... 38 3.1.5.2 Excise tax .......................................................................................................... 39 3.1.6 Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing ........................................................... 42 3.1.6.1 Import prohibitions ............................................................................................. 42 3.1.6.2 Import licensing .................................................................................................. 43 3.1.7 Anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures ............................................... 46 3.1.7.1 Anti-dumping and countervailing measures ............................................................. 46 3.1.7.2 Safeguards ........................................................................................................ 46 WT/TPR/S/337 • Albania - 3 - 3.1.8 Standards and other technical requirements .............................................................. 47 3.1.8.1 Technical regulations ........................................................................................... 47 3.1.8.1.1 Transparency ................................................................................................... 47 3.1.8.1.2 Implementation ............................................................................................... 48 3.1.8.2 Standards .......................................................................................................... 50 3.1.9 Sanitary and phytosanitary requirements .................................................................. 51 3.1.9.1 Transparency ..................................................................................................... 51 3.1.9.2 Implementation .................................................................................................. 51 3.1.10 Other measures ................................................................................................... 53 3.2 Measures Directly Affecting Exports ............................................................................. 53 3.2.1 Export procedures and requirements ........................................................................ 53 3.2.2 Export taxes, charges, and levies ............................................................................. 53 3.2.3 Export prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing ............................................................ 53 3.2.4 Export support and promotion ................................................................................. 53 3.2.5 Export finance, insurance and guarantees ................................................................. 54 3.3 Measures Affecting Production and Trade ..................................................................... 55 3.3.1 Legal framework for business .................................................................................. 55 3.3.2 Incentives ............................................................................................................ 56 3.3.3 Competition policy and price controls ........................................................................ 58 3.3.4 State trading, state-owned enterprises, and privatization............................................. 61 3.3.5 Government procurement ....................................................................................... 62 3.3.6 Intellectual property rights ...................................................................................... 65 3.3.6.1 Overview ........................................................................................................... 65 3.3.6.2 Legal and institutional framework .......................................................................... 67 3.3.6.2.1 Industrial property ........................................................................................... 67 3.3.6.2.2 Copyright ........................................................................................................ 71 3.3.6.3 Enforcement ....................................................................................................... 72 4 TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR ..................................................................................... 74 4.1 Agriculture .............................................................................................................. 74 4.1.1 General features .................................................................................................... 74 4.1.2 Legal and policy making framework .......................................................................... 75 4.1.3 Border and related measures ..................................................................................