. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/134 
27 January 2010 
 (10-0394) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
ALBANIA 
 
Statement by Mr. Enno Bozdo
 
Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy  
  
 As a Representative of the Albanian Governme nt, I feel most honoured to address the seventh 
WTO Ministerial.  
 
 This ministerial meeting is held in an unpr ecedented time for the world economy.  Difficult 
financial and economic circumstances, unemployment and the decline in trade exchange volume are 
symptoms of a crisis which, in addition to a dir ect impact on international trade, has opened a hot 
debate on globalization, deregulation and the future of the world economy. 
 
 As we note a significant increase in protectioni st measures in global scale, we also need to 
affirm that many countries, developed economies, did not applied these measures but rather embarked 
on daring reforms and encouraged financial instruments to facilitate the direct impact of the crisis in 
their local economies.  
 During this year many countries showed al so resistance to protectionism, willingness to 
further trade liberalization, crafting careful policies to alleviate the post-crises impact.  
  Albania managed to circumvent the economic cr ises and to date represents the country with 
greater economic growth in Europe.  The real GDP growth in 2008 was 8 per cent while this year we 
witnesses a GDP growth by 5.3 per cent  
 
 Telecommunication and services sector have s hown the largest increase in 2009, respectively 
by 18 per cent and 16 per cent, while primary industries and trade are the sectors most affected by the crisis, although not for internal reasons.   
 An improved business environment and resilient macroeconomic policies resulted in rapid 
productivity growth and therefore provided a solid e ngine for the economic growth.  Due to structural 
and regulatory reforms, Albania was ranked second among top ten reformers in Doing Business for 
2008 and showed good progress in 20 09.  Albania also improved remarkably its raking in Global 
Competitiveness Index and in the Global Economic Freedom report, leaving behind even some of EU 
countries.  However, the common denominator of our trade and economic reforms are the main WTO 
principles of transparency, predictability and accountability.     Albania offers today a very liberal trade regi me for investors and a c onsolidated, transparent 
and favourable business climate.  Our trade policy is progressively deepening our openness index and, 
through a liberal approach we aim to strengtheni ng our competitiveness and fostering the internal 
production.  Our weighted average tariff is 2-3 per ce nt, while the tariffs continue to decrease. Albania 
does not apply protectionist measures and instrume nts.  Full compliance to the WTO principles and WT/MIN(09)/ST/134 
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  rules is guiding the efforts toward trade agenda.  In the same time, we are successfully implementing 
free trade agreements with our main economic pa rtners, European Union, Western Balkans and 
Turkey.    The process of Doha Development is considered  very important for us and we have actively 
participated during the RAM and SVE group negotia tions.  We have been active in the trade 
facilitation agenda, co-sponsoring many of the proposal s. We appreciate the work done to date and we 
would encourage the acceleration of the D oha talks to conclude these negotiations.  
  The history of economic development of the l ast decades has registered sustainable growth 
and improvement of worldwide living standards.  WTO is the multilateral system which has been 
contributed a lot to this achievement, and Alba nia, despite being a small country, has steadily 
contributed through its positive a nd opened mined approach.  We hope this will be the motto of this 
Ministerial too, in order to successfully address issues which potentially would hinder global economic recovery, benefices deriving from a balan ced globalization process and prosperity for the 
individuals. 
  
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