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All imports of live animals, products of animal origin (excluding food), unprocessed materials, biologic materials, bio-products, veterinary drugs, and food for animal use are inspected at authorized border inspection posts (those with facilities for veterinary control). Imports must be accompanied by an international veterinary certificate. Veterinary inspectors form part of the customs team, and have the authority to inspect the sanitary-veterinary conditions of import shipments as well as to take samples for laboratory analysis. If the veterinary inspector suspects a contagious disease, contamination, organic deterioration, or notices that documentation is incomplete, he/she may order the consignment to be locked. The Chief Veterinary Office of the Region checks the consignment and may release the goods or otherwise revoke the entry of the consignment, require laboratory analysis, confiscate the consignment or take other preventative measures. Imports (as well as exports) are subject to a veterinarian fee. All imported animals are subject to quarantine for a minimum of 21 days, except for animals that are imported from disease-free countries and are destined for slaughter within 72 hours. Quarantine costs are borne by the importer. (...)

Albania does not have any legislation in force regarding the marketing of food composed of, or containing, GMOs. However, Law No. 9863 of 28 January 2008, as amended, has a chapter on food composed of, or containing, GMOs. This chapter allows, subject to risk analysis and authorization by the MARDWA, imports of food containing GMOs (classified as 'new food') provided that products are labelled as containing GMOs (Article 36). This chapter entered into force in May 2013.

Table 3.8 Conventions and treaties on intellectual property rights to which Albania is a party, December 2015
Convention Entry into force for Albania Entry into force for Albania
Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity 12 October 2014
(...)

The Inter-sectoral Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development 2014-2020 (ISARD) which was adopted on 29 October 2014 lays out the Government's programme for the sector, in line with the overall objective of moving towards integration into the EU. The authorities note that the ISARD reflects the EU's approach for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2014-2020. The strategy is supported by the EU's IPARD. The ISARD intends to introduce various measures including financial support measures, promotion of investment (e.g. in physical assets of agricultural holdings), support for the setting up of producers' groups, and the adoption of quality schemes (e.g. organic products, products with protected designation of origin and geographical indication). The Government estimates that expenses plus investments to implement the strategy will be €93 million for the period between 2014 and 2020.

The current domestic support measures in the agri-food sector include direct payments, national investment schemes; subsidized loan schemes (e.g. interest free loans). They amounted to €12.5 million in 2015 (€12 million in 2014). In the provision of direct payments, the authorities established in 2012 priority sectors including: (...) organic products, (...)

Under the ISARD (Inter-sectoral Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development 2014-2020), financial support is made available for restructuring and modernizing production, increasing competitiveness, ensuring a sustainable utilization of resources, and generating alternative income possibilities. Support is also made available to farmers and agro processing operators that fulfil the national regulatory requirements.

The legal regime of mining is defined by Law No. 7796 of 17 February 1994, amended by Law No. 10304 of 15 July 2010, which basically institutes a licencing regime, as mining production is entirely private. Licences are granted after a tendering procedure for 10 years renewable once. The licences include a tax formula remunerating the State in the form of a rental fee. The Laws also provide for mining planning procedures, tendering procedures, control and rehabilitation of the environment, investments through financial guarantees, definition of dangerous areas, and safety procedures and regulations.

Table 4.5 Albania production, imports and exports of energy for 2013
In thousands of tonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe) on a net calorific value basis
Hydro Geothermal, solar, etc. Biofuels and waste
Production 598 12 201
Imports 0 0 0
Exports 0 0 0
(...)

Table 4.6 Total final energetic consumption by sector for 2013
In thousands of tonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe) on a net calorific value basis
Geothermal, solar, etc. Biofuels and waste
Total final consumption 12 201
Industry 0 10
Transport 0 0
Other 11 191
Of which residential 5 160
(...)

The contractor is subject to tax on profit at a rate of 50% of the realized profit , as well as to a royalty tax of 10% of the sales revenues . Changes are about to be introduced in the petroleum agreements on the so–called "stability [of legal environment] clause". It will be limited in time to 10 or 12 years, and will be narrowed down so that the environmental law can be exempted from its scope. A "cost limit" in the financial scheme will also be created, whereby companies will have to pay taxes as of the first barrel produced, since not all revenues but only 90% of them, will be affected to the recovery of the costs of exploration.