Trade with EU countries, for the first quarter of this year, accounted for 58.1% of all trade. Referring to the INSTAT report, in the period January - March 2025, exports to EU countries accounted for 68.4% of total exports, and imports from EU countries accounted for 53.1% of total imports.

In this quarter, exports of goods reached the value of Lek 100 billion, increasing by 4.7%, while imports of goods reached the value of Lek 202 billion, decreasing by 3.5%, compared to a year earlier. The trade deficit reached Lek 102 billion, decreasing by 10.4%, compared to the same period in 2024. The main trading partners are: Italy (27.7%), China (8.6%), and Greece (7.9%).

The main goods that Albania exports to the EU are textiles and clothing (especially tailoring in Italy and Germany), minerals and metals (chrome, iron-nickel), and agricultural products (fruits, and vegetables).

The main goods that Albania imports from the EU are industrial machinery and equipment, processed food products, vehicles and spare parts, pharmaceutical products, and technology.

During this quarter, the countries with which Albania has had the greatest increase in exports, compared to a year earlier, are: Kosovo (79%), Greece (8.6%) and Germany (5.5%). The countries in which there has been the largest decrease are: Italy (13.9%), North Macedonia (23.7%), etc.

The countries with which Albania has had the largest decrease in imports, compared to a year ago, are: Italy (0.3%), Turkey (26.9%), and Germany (9.4%). The countries with which imports have had the largest increase are: China (29%), Greece (6.4%), and Spain (8.8%).

The EU is also the largest investor in Albania, through grants, development projects, and private companies.