Croatian-Albanian co-operation goes on: Joint Intergovernmental Croatian-Albanian Commission on Economic Co-operation held its 5th session

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On 15 May 2018, the 5th session of the Joint Intergovernmental Croatian-Albanian Commission on Economic Co-operation was held in Zagreb.

The joint commission was chaired by Zvonimir Novak, assistant minister of economy, entrepreneurship and crafts of the Republic of Croatia, and Albana Shkurta, deputy minister of finance and economy of the Republic of Albania.

Croatia was represented by delegates of the Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning; Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts; Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy; Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure; Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Science and Education; Ministry of Tourism; Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Health; Croatian Chamber of Economy; Croatian Standards Institute, and the Agency for Investments and Competitiveness. Representatives of the delegations exchanged information on common interests, especially on the perspectives of economic co-operation in the fields of industry, transport and infrastructure, energy and environmental protection, tourism, agriculture, finances, urban development and spatial planning, science, health, social protection, standardisation and EU integration.
 
On behalf of the Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning, the session was attended by Ines Androić Brajčić, head of Sector for EU programmes and projects, who particularly highlighted spatial planning and urban development, as well as energy renovation of buildings and use of renewable energy sources as fields for common economic co-operation. Androić Brajčić pointed out that Croatia is willing, on the basis of its multi-annual experience acquired through the establishment of the integrated spatial planning information system based on the Geographic Information System (GIS), to co-operate and exchange information with Albania in the development of the spatial planning information system.

With regard to energy renovation of buildings and renewable energy sources use, two financing models were particularly highlighted – the ESCO model and co-financing of energy renovation of public and residential buildings from ESI funds. It shall be emphasised that Croatia is also undergoing the process of improving requirements on building and the construction system in compliance with nZEB standards, in order to achieve sustainability of cities and to develop smart cities in line with EU goals regarding reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and increased energy efficiency.

After the session, the co-chairs of the Joint Commission signed Protocol of the 5th session of the Joint Intergovernmental Croatian-Albanian Commission on Economic Co-operation with an overview of fields of common interest, including proposals and measures for their improvement.


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