Kemikaliehantering Albanien

Component 1 Developing national legislation: KemI has supported MTE in the development of 5 legal acts, including DCM on register of Chemicals which was adopted during 2024. During 2024 KemI has also provided comments on the chapter on chemicals in Albania's negotiation position. In the light of the advancement of Albania's EU negotiations and the important revisions made to REACH and CLP in 2024 , KemI will support the MTE and NEA in transposition of relevant legislation during 2025 thereby allowing Albania to have transposed all legislation relevant for the chemicals acquis in chapter 27 before the project ends in September 2025. Component 2 Institutional capacity development: One of the most important achievements of the project has been the creation of a chemicals office at NEA with 3 staff (who are financed by NEA). The creation of the office was a requirement for Sweden to support the present project. The office has been operational since 2020. KemI has also earlier in the project prepared a draft national plan on Chemicals which was never approved. In 2024 KemI has supported the revision and update of the plan, which sets out the pathway for Albania to comply with the full chemicals acquis by 2030. Albania has in its Negotiation Position committed to approving this plan by 2026 at the latest. The project has over the years provided important capacity development to NEA, MTE, MOH (biocides) and the inspectorate through training courses as well as on the job coaching and support (mostly to NEA and MTE). During 2024 there was one ITP320 workshop arranged in March, otherwise there have not been any formal training activities in 2024. There has been capacity development of staff in Competent Authority tasks through continuous exchange between experts, for example KemI has shared its communications strategy as an example for MTE when planning their own communications strategy on chemicals, a draft manual for inspectors was developed and submitted to MTE and the market surveillance inspectorate. A helpdesk on chemicals was established at NEA in 2021 and continues to be developed. KemI has agreed with NEA and MTE to dedicate resources in 2025 to provide a proposal for work descriptions, and structure for the help desk in accordance to standards of EUMS. This would be an important contribution to implementation of the regulations on chemicals. Component 3 National Chemicals registry: Under this component the project has created a working group for the registry with participation of MTE, NEA and AKSHI. Background research has been done including through a workshop with relevant ministries and government agencies in 2023, which aimed at establishing an effective process for the registry. During 2024 KemI has assisted the MTE in the preparation of a DCM which sets out detailed rules for the registration of chemicals by manufacturers and importers. The DCM was adopted in 2024 as described under component 1 above. Sample files and user manual of the Swedish chemicals register have been shared with MTE to serve as examples for input of data into the Albanian register. But the project will fall short of establishing the IT solution for the registry as the dialogue with AKSHI got so lengthy so that the time will be too short to procure the IT solution within the project activity period. It is now expected that AKSHI will itself develop the IT solution (at Albania's own expense) to enable the implementation of the adopted DCM.  

The overall objective is to create conditions, in the area of chemical legislation, for membership in the EU. The project objective is to have contributed to the effective implementation of the EU acquis on chemicals, biocidal products and PPP (plant protection) at the accession. Expected outcomes: 1.1 National legislation is further aligned with the EU legislation. 2.1 A plan supporting the institutional capacity building is in place and accepted by relevant stakeholders. 2.2 An established and operational chemicals office. 2.3 Biocidal project risk management system 2.4 Relevant staff are prepared competent authorities tasks under EU chemicals legislation. 2.5 Capacity development of enforcement authorities 2.6 Helpdesk established and in operation. 2.7 Industry prepares for complying with obligations in EU chemicals legislation. 3.1 A report on the chemicals registry outlining the results that can serve as a basis for future work. 3.3 A functioning chemicals registry.