Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Arjanit Hoxha and Albanian counterpart Bledi Çuçi signed Wednesday in Tirana a phytosanitary cooperation agreement, a step forward in bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture product exchange.

The results of the tests and analyzes of the accredited, but also of the authorized laboratories are recognized, which enables passing the burden of the border inspection, without delays and without taking additional samples. Documentation and waiting times of trucks at the border is reduced, which in turn means less business costs and increased trade between the two countries, Çuçi said.

Minister Hoxha assessed that the signing of the agreement is an important step towards the removal of all barriers at the border crossings, especially for products that have a very short shelf life and had to wait 48 hours at customs points.