The Parliamentary Committee on Europe and Foreign Affairs approved on Tuesday the draft law “On the freedom of establishment and provision of services in the Republic of Albania”, an initiative that aims to fully align Albanian legislation with that of the European Union in the field of the services market.

Socialist Party MP Anila Denaj, in her capacity as initiator, emphasized that the draft law constitutes an important step in the European integration process by creating a harmonized legal framework that guarantees the freedom of establishment and provision of cross-border services.

According to her, the law is based on the principles of non-discrimination, proportionality, and transparency, aiming to eliminate legal and administrative barriers that limit market access and the development of economic activities in the services sector.

The draft law, she said, establishes a new approach to market liberalization, limiting administrative interventions only in cases where they are justified by major public interests.

It also promotes equal treatment between domestic and European Union providers, enabling the exercise of activity without unnecessary requirements for physical establishment.

Also present, Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation, Olta Manjani, stated that the draft law is part of the framework for negotiations on Chapter 3, which relates to the freedom of establishment and the provision of services, one of the four fundamental freedoms of the European Union.

She emphasized that the initiative approximates Directive 2006/123/EC on services in the internal market and aims to build a modern, transparent, and competitive framework for the sector.

According to her, the experience of implementing the existing law has identified gaps, including the lack of full coverage of cross-border services, fragmented administrative procedures, and a lack of structured cooperation with EU countries. The new draft law addresses these issues by setting standards comparable to those of the European Union.

One of the main innovations, said Manjani, is the establishment of the principle "freedom of establishment as a rule, authorization as an exception", which constitutes a fundamental change in regulatory philosophy.