RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/ALB/13
23September 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3741)
Original: English
ACCESSION OFALBANIA
Communication from Albania
Thefollowing Information onState-trading hasbeenreceived fromtheMinistry ofIndustry,
Transport andTrade oftheRepublic ofAlbania.
_______________
INFORMATION ONSTATE-TRADING
Definition ofState-Trading Enterprise
Governmental andnon-governmental enterprises, including marketing boards, which
havebeengranted exclusive orspecial rights orprivileges, including statutory powers
orconstitutionalpowers,intheexerciseofwhichtheyinfluence,throughtheirpurchases
orsales, thelevelordirection ofimports orexports.
Comments
There arenoState-trading enterprises inAlbania aspertheabove definition.
There areafewForeign Trade Enterprises which usedtohaveamonopoly onimport andexport
activities. Thismonopoly ended in1991withthepassage oftheLawonStateEnterprises which gave
allenterprises inAlbania, bothprivate andState-owned, therighttoimport orexport freely andmore
generally proclaims thefreedom ofallenterprises toconduct theirbusiness inaccordance withthe
principles ofamarket-based economy.
Weunderline thatthere arenogovernmental ornon-governmental enterprises ormarketing
boards which haveexclusive orspecial rights orprivileges regarding import orexport activities.
Itisalsoimportant tonotethatthefewForeign Trade Enterprises thatcontinue toexist, play
averylimited roleinterms oftotaltrade.
During thefirst6months of1996, imports amounted toUS$424.4 million, outofwhich the
private sector imported US$331.7 million or78percentoftotalimports andtheStatesector imported
US$72.4million or17percent. Itisimportant tonotethatofthe17percentimported bytheState
sector, onlyasmall partwasimported byForeign Trade Enterprises (lessthan2percent), ofwhich
theremainder wasimported byother State enterprises fortheirownuse,andnottobesoldonthe
domestic market.WT/ACC/ALB/13
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Asimilar pattern exists fortheexports. During thefirst6months of1996, totalexports were
US$111.1 million, outofwhich theprivate sector wasresponsible forUS$89.2million or80percent,
while theState sector accounted forUS$21.9million or21percent.
Ifwecompare thefigures forthesame period oftheprevious year, wemayseethatforboth
imports andexports, theroleoftheprivate sector hasincreased by72percentandtheState sector
hasdecreased by45percent.
Questionnaire onState Trading
I. Enumeration ofState Trading Enterprises
1. Does your country maintain enterprises covered bytheprovisions ofArticle XVII? If
so,listtheproducts orgroups ofproducts forwhich State enterprise ismaintained orforwhich
anenterprise hasexclusive orspecial privileges.
Answer:
No.Albania doesnotmaintain enterprises covered bytheprovisions ofArticle XVII.
Asnoted above there arenoenterprises, neither State norprivate, which havebeengiven
exclusive andspecial privileges regarding importing orexporting.
However, forreasons oftransparency, wearelisting herebelow thefewremaining Foreign
Trade Enterprises withashort description oftheiractivity onimport andexport (noproduction) and
theirstatus:
Dependent ontheMinistry ofIndustry, Transport andTrade:
1. Industrialimpeks
Main activity: import ofrawmaterials forthetextile industry, school andoffice articles, import and
export ofchemicals, etc.
Status: State-owned.
2. Makinaimpeks
Main activity: import ofequipment, machinery, household equipment, spare partsandcommodities.
Status: State-owned.
3. Arteksport
Main activity: export ofhandicraft articles, import ofrawmaterials forclothing industry, other
commissioning operations.
Status: Inprocess oftransformation intoshareholding company.
4. Agroexport
Main activity: export andimport offoodstuff andagriculture commodities.WT/ACC/ALB/13
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Status: Inprocess oftransformation intoshareholding company.
5. Albkoop
Mainactivity: import ofelectric andelectronic household equipment. Other import andexport activities
including foodstuff andrawmaterials.
Status: State-owned.
Dependent ontheMinistry ofMineral Resources andEnergy
1. Minergoimpeks
Main activity: exports andimports ofminerals andimports ofrawmaterials forindustry.
Status: 49percentprivatized and51percentState-owned.
Dependent ontheMinistry ofConstruction andTourism
1. Mandimpeks
Main activity: export ofrawmaterials inthefieldofconstruction asmarble, cement, etc.andimport
ofconstruction materials, vehicles fortheneedofmunicipalities, etc.
Status: State-owned.
Additional Information
Currently, there arehundreds ofprivate companies which exercise theiractivity andcover
allranges ofimports andexports.
TheForeign Trade Enterprises donothaveanymonopoly orspecial rights incomparison to
theprivate-owned companies. Even fortender bidsorganized byState institutions, allState-owned
enterprises andprivate-owned companies freely participate insuch tenders onthebasis ofopen
competition.
Finally, theprivatization strategy covers allForeign Trade Enterprises, andapartofthem
arealready fullyprivatized ortransformed intocommercial shareholding companies.
Theremaining Foreign Trade Enterprises willbeprivatized intime. Intheevent thatsome
ofthem mayremain State-owned fortheneeds oflocalinstitutions, thenecessary explanations will
begiven.