ENHANCING CROSS-BORDER TRADE AND COOPERATION IN THE WESTERN BALKANS
Joint border crossings significantly reduce the time and the cost of moving goods across borders, and their establishment is an important segment of the overall efforts for fostering regional economic cooperation and integration of the Western Balkan countries with the EU. To facilitate cross-border trade and enhance bilateral cooperation between North Macedonia and Albania, the regional USAID Economic Development, Governance and Enterprise Growth (EDGE) project is assisting the two countries in introducing joint border crossing points (JBCPs) and joint controls at their mutual border.
The USAID EDGE project awarded a grant to the Customs Administration of North Macedonia and its partner, the Customs General Directorate of Albania to support their efforts for establishing a joint border crossing point at the Kjafasan — Qafe Thane border crossing. The grant funded the procurement of equipment and tools for customs controls, expert advice and two study visits. The equipment for increasing the efficiency of the customs controls at the Kjafasan — Qafe Thane JBCP was officially delivered to the authorities of North Macedonia and Albania at a high-level ceremony on July 15, 2021, attended by both US Ambassadors to North Macedonia and Albania. The expert report identifying and addressing the key implementation challenges was completed in August 2021 and adopted by both customs administrations. In September 2021, two groups of customs employees — one at managerial and one at operative level from both countries — traveled to Croatia to meet their peers at Croatian Customs, learn from their experience in this field and visit the JBCPs between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mr. Ilija Janoski, Monitoring Specialist — Head of Department for International Cooperation, Projects and EU integration at the Customs Administration of Republic of North Macedonia participated in the managerial staff study visit to Croatia. Mr. Janoski remarked, “We were theoretically and practically acquainted with the concept of JBCP by visiting the border crossings Jasenovac — Gradina, and Licko Petrovo — Izacic, between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. As participant in the visit and as monitoring specialist of the project, I can conclude that this activity was successful and very practical. The participants were able to use what they learned as a baseline for upcoming activities to establish the protocols for joint controls initially on Kjafasan — Qafe Thane, but also with other neighboring countries, thus contributing widely to trade facilitation in the region.”
The diverse EDGE assistance strengthened the capacity of the customs authorities in North Macedonia and Albania for addressing the key challenges related to implementation of JBCPs and joint controls. Concurrently to the implementation of the grant activities, the governments of North Macedonia and Albania completed the negotiations and signed the bilateral Framework Agreement on the Establishment of Shared Border Crossings between the republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Albania, in June 2021. Albania’s Parliament ratified the agreement in November 2021, and as soon as it is ratified by the North Macedonia Parliament and enters into force, the two countries will proceed with concrete activities for establishment of a JBCP with joint controls at Kjafasan — Qafe Thane, the largest border crossing located on the PAN-European transport corridor VIII.
“The experience we gained in Zagreb and the JBCPs in Croatia was fruitful and useful, and it can be used to further develop the concept we are establishing at Kjafasan — Qafe Thane JBCP with the Republic of North Macedonia,” notes Mr. Gentjan Barberi, Chief of Customs Office Qafe Thane at Albania Customs. “We are aware that there is a large amount work in front of us, jointly with our colleagues from the Customs Administration of North Macedonia, to put the theoretical knowledge into practice: preparing protocols, adjusting the infrastructure, and training customs officers. We are grateful to the USAID EDGE project for providing support and understanding our needs, and we are also thankful for the hospitality of our colleagues from the Croatia Customs Administration.”
Once fully operational, this JBCP will enable more harmonized practices and procedures, coordination of customs controls, and use of common border facilities thus delivering facilitated and more efficient movement of goods and people across the border between North Macedonia and Albania. Such results will directly contribute to the overall trade integration efforts in the region and serve as a best practice for other countries.
