Government unveils food safety bill: digital traceability, tougher fines
The government has presented a draft law to tighten food safety and protect animal and plant health. The proposal would create a national electronic traceability system to check products faster and more accurately. Fines would range from ALL 100,000 to ALL 2,000,000, depending on the violation.
Why is this important: The bill aims to improve consumer protection and keep unsafe goods off the market; something at which no Albanian government has been entirely successful until now. It also boosts transparency: inspection results, including violations and penalties, must be published every year.
Context: Under the proposal, every food operator must keep accurate records in a new digital system so products can be tracked from entry to sale. Authorities will run risk-based checks and can order fixes or issue fines if rules are ignored. The law also requires regulators to publish the type, number, and outcomes of official controls each year. Oversight of Albania’s food-safety work will be reviewed by European Commission experts, bringing an extra layer of scrutiny and alignment with EU practice.
Businesses will need to respond quickly to inspector requests and keep complete, up-to-date data in the traceability platform. Repeat offenders face tougher measures so breaches do not go unpunished. For shoppers, the goal is simpler: safer food, clearer information, and quicker recalls if something goes wrong.
Next steps: Parliament will debate the bill. If approved, the government will roll out the IT system and issue by-laws for enforcement.
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