The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Andis Salla, presented on Thursday in the Parliament the draft law “On the ratification of the Agreement with Germany for Technical Cooperation 2025”.

During the presentation, Salla emphasized that the agreement creates the legal basis for the implementation of the EU4Food Safety project.

“This is not just a cooperation project, it is a strategic instrument that supports one of our most important priorities: building a modern food safety system and accelerating Albania’s European integration process,” emphasized the minister.

According to him, “today, the EU does not only require the adoption of laws but also requires functioning institutions, effective controls, reliable laboratories and an administration that implements European standards in practice”.

“This is precisely what this project aims to build. Its objective is to support Albania in building a modern food safety system, fully aligned with European Union standards. It will strengthen the institutions responsible for official control, modernize inspection procedures and laboratory capacities, support the harmonization of legislation and its effective implementation, and contribute to fulfilling the closing criteria of Chapter 12,” added Salla.

In this way, the minister emphasized that the project not only helps the negotiation process but also builds a more efficient, transparent, and reliable system for citizens and businesses.

Salla also informed that through this agreement, the German government contributes with a grant of Euro 1 million, while the European Union finances the project with another 12.5 million euros, bringing the total support to Euro 13.5 million for the period 2026–2030.

“This is a testament to the trust that our European partners have in Albanian institutions and the reforms we are undertaking as part of the accession process. Equally important is the expertise that this project brings, which means that Albania benefits not only from funding, but also from the experience and best practices of European Union member states,” said Salla.

The Minister stressed that Chapter 12 is among the most complex chapters of the negotiations with the European Union, because it is directly related to food safety, animal health, plant protection, and public health. At the end of the session, MPs voted in favor of the draft law.