FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The Ambassador of the European Union to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, during a meeting with food business operators, raised concrete issues related to food safety and the level of compliance with European standards.
He noted that the integration process is no longer related to declarations or legal approvals, but to how structures actually function on the ground. Gonzato called for clearer interventions from responsible institutions and presented food safety as a non-negotiable standard of the European Union and a direct condition for membership.
In this context, he highlighted the lack of an effective categorization system for food operators, describing it as a key link that directly impacts quality control and assurance.
"Albania has entered this crucial phase of negotiations. Progress is not measured only by Albania's goals, or by the adoption of legislation, but by the systems that are functioning."
At the heart of this transformation lies a key issue, the categorisation of food business operators and the improvement of entities in line with EU standards. A well-functioning categorisation system enables authorities to distinguish between those entities that meet EU standards, those that can achieve compliance with these standards within a given timeframe and those that require more fundamental adaptation. On the basis of this work, authorities can use limited resources and base them on risk-based controls. This is important in sectors such as dairy and meat processing where the gap between current practices and EU requirements can be considerable.
Improving the quality of raw milk is a prerequisite for being competitive in the EU market. Harmonization with EU standards strengthens consumer confidence and creates new opportunities for growth and exports.
"More efforts are needed from the government so that businesses fully understand the categorization and support they need to have to get more financing," the EU ambassador said, among other things.
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