Foreign Investment Screening: Businesses Seek Clarity on the New Rules
The American Chamber of Commerce in Albania, in cooperation with CIPE, organized the second round of its Focus Group discussions, with a deeper focus on the practical implementation of the new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) screening mechanism, following the adoption of the Council of Ministers Decision in April 2026.
Moderated by Albana Karapanço, the meeting provided an open forum for participating businesses to discuss uncertainties regarding how the new regulatory framework will operate in practice. Companies had the opportunity to raise questions concerning the criteria, procedures, documentation requirements, and timelines that investors and Albanian companies will need to consider.
During the meeting, Albana Karapanço explained that the screening mechanism is not intended to restrict foreign investment, but rather to identify and assess potential risks that certain investments may pose to national security, public order, critical infrastructure and technologies, the supply of critical inputs, or access to sensitive information. Practical aspects related to the implementation of the Council of Ministers Decision were discussed through concrete examples. The discussion focused on issues such as determining the types of investments and transactions that fall within the scope of the mechanism, as well as identifying the origin of investments and the ultimate control of the investor.
Participating companies raised the need for greater clarity regarding when the screening procedure should be initiated and the timeframe within which a response should be provided by the Interministerial Committee, emphasizing that these elements should be clearly defined in the Council of Ministers Decision. The discussion also addressed the level of due diligence companies themselves are expected to conduct on potential investors, as well as the documentation that authorities may request during the screening process.
Following these discussions, the American Chamber of Commerce in Albania intends to prepare a practical guide for businesses, aimed at helping companies understand the scope of the screening mechanism, the obligations arising from it, and the steps they should follow when undertaking an investment or transaction.
This process comes at a time when Albania continues to align its regulatory framework with European developments in the field of foreign direct investment screening.
