The Investment Council, 35.9% of recommendations for institutions on deaf ears

2024-05-16 13:27:00, Aktualitet CNA

The monitoring report of the Investment Council for 2023 reveals that some of the recommendations made to the institutions remain unimplemented, although this percentage does not constitute the majority.

It is about 35.9% of the recommendations, while 16.6% are in the process of implementation.

The publication, however, underlines that most of the recommendations have been implemented.

"The recommendations approved in Kl aim at intervention at five levels: i) Strategic, (ii) Institutional, iii) Legal, (iv) Transparency and Awareness, (v) Policy.

A significant part of these recommendations (42%) address the need for institutional changes and the continuous emphasis on stabilization and sustainability of institutions, inter-institutional coordination and a common integrative vision, capacity building of operational structures and growth of the quality standard of public services.

Therefore, the importance of a continuous commitment to strengthen institutional frameworks and operational efficiency within the broader context of the recommendations is underlined," the report states.

The same document underlines that about 13% of the total recommendations were suggested by the members of the Council, from the interaction in the plenary meetings of the Council, while 87% are based on the preliminary analyzes undertaken by the Secretariat team.

The report highlights some of the positive steps that have been taken that have an impact on important sectors such as agriculture, tourism, energy, improving access to funds for small and medium enterprises.

Specifically, in this context, such changes promoted by the Investment Council are listed as:

- Efforts to create a more favorable environment for the agricultural sector by promoting agro-processing activities with added value; support through national financial support schemes, equipping with electronic cards, oil subsidies for farmers as instruments to promote their formalization and investments.

- Intensification of the Albanian tourist potential through increased promotion in several channels in the international context.

- Legislative interventions in the energy sector with the aim of promoting the widespread adoption of renewable energy in Albania.

- Improvements in the institutional capacity of AIDA, in terms of improving access to funds for MSMEs, through the simplification and better coordination of information on financial support projects/programs for MSMEs and a targeted support for the internationalization process of enterprises.

- Interventions for the improvement of customs procedures, through the publication of the updated list of reference prices; the establishment of a dedicated structure to provide assistance and continuous communication with economic operators and business associations; construction of suitable facilities for physical control near customs branches; publication of consultations with business representatives; creation of the Digital VAT Refund Platform, increasing online VAT refund requests.

- Encouraging employment through subsidizing businesses in the direction of hiring unemployed jobseekers;

- Encouraging e-commerce for MSMEs, through (a) implementing alternative forms of clearing for local transfers in euros to reduce the high costs charged by the correspondent banking network and to facilitate e-business, (b) promoting e-commerce for the provision of services/products in a sustainable manner, (c) harmonization of national statistical data referring to the level of use and access to ICT by businesses, (d) prioritization of digitization and acceleration of national broadband internet coverage;

- Strengthening the municipality-business interaction through improving the transparency of municipalities; facilitating access to information through a section dedicated to administrative complaints; strengthening the capacities of municipalities for the efficient periodic preparation of financial reports.

- Improving the quality of online services offered through the electronic platform for building permits./ Monitor.al