Why does Albania complicate the import of products from Montenegro?

 Montenegrin businessmen are dissatisfied with the fact that Albania, in spite of the agreement CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement), prevents the import of Montenegrin wine, beer, dairy products, referring to the provision of aflatoxins, which does not apply to imports from other countries of the region, and also does not allow the import of meat and products.

 CEFTA agreement implies free trade and strengthening of cooperation between its signatory countries.
However, the obligations of the individual countries do not always comply the agreement, so the entrepreneurs from Montenegro are requiring to enter the response measure and thus protect their production.

 CEFTA Agreement is a document of 2006 on free trade, which means that the free goods shipment without customs. Members of this agreement are: Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Moldova. The purpose of this document is to increase the production and the stimulation of cooperation between the signatory parties.

 Contrary to the CEFTA agreement, some countries have repeatedly tried to introduce different procedures that complicate imports from countries that have signed it.
Vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro - Ljiljana Filipović comments on this issue as follows: "Before the entry into the WTO and CEFTA Montenegro has applied measures to ensure the protection of domestic producers.

 "Montenegro has refused these measures, It is necessary least in the short term to sustain such measures in case with Albania. It's been going on for 2-3 years. Despite persistent comments, sent documents and multiple conversations, unfortunately, to date, there is no result. Therefore, the only solution in this situation is the introduction of countermeasures." 

 George Goranovich - owner and executive of the meat industry "Goranović", reported that his production is also suffering because of the obstacles on the CEFTA Agreement with Albania.
 "We currently cannot export our meat products to Albania because they have some special requirements, which are not provided by CEFTA agreement.
With other countries that have signed CEFTA agreement, there are no significant barriers to trade. Montenegro adheres all the principles of CEFTA. We have no barriers on imports from other countries that have signed the agreement. Therefore, we demand that for us, the manufacturer of Montenegro, used only by the provisions of CEFTA agreement, without the complicated customs procedures", - commented Goranovich.