French-Albanian Chamber of Commerce established
The Chamber is a continuation of the France-Albania Club D’Affaires established a couple of years ago as a linking bridge to strengthen business ties between the two countries
TIRANA, August 12 – French businesses in Albania are now represented through a French-Albanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Chamber is a continuation of the France-Albania Club D’Affaires established a couple of years ago as a linking bridge to strengthen business ties between the two countries. The Chamber says it will support French and Albanian small and medium-sized enterprises. Supported by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the French-Albanian Chamber is a key partner to French enterprises seeking to enter the Albanian market. The 38 members of the Chamber employ around 4,000 people in Albania.
“Thanks to you, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abroad unanimously voted in the General Assembly the membership of the French-Albanian Chamber of Commerce. I am fully confident that Chamber will be very successful,” said Julien Roche, the chairman of the French-Albanian chamber addressing members at a launch ceremony last July.
French Ambassador to Albania Christine Moro, her Albanian counterpart in France Dritan Tola, and the chamber’s deputy head, Hubert de Saint Jean hailed the establishment of the Chamber as a great success story. The Albanian Investment Development Agency also welcomed the establishment of French-Albanian chamber which will assist businesses investing in Albania with information, development and communication.
The Chamber is headed by Julien Roche, a foreign trade adviser to the French government also Green Technologies director, and Hubert de Saint-Jean, the director of Society Generale Albania bank.
Formally established in Sept. 2011 as the France-Albania Club D’Affairs members from a series of key sectors as Societe Generale, Credit Agricole banks, energy company CNR/GDF-Suez, helicopter transport leader Eurocopter/EADS, Aleat/Morpho engaged in the production of biometric passports and ID cards, the Amadeus Group Sh.A. power supply products, and several Albanian partner companies.
Trade exchanges between Albania and France although constantly rising in recent years remain at very low levels. Annual Bank of Albania data show Albanian exports to France rose to 11 million euros in 2012, registering a historic high but yet representing only 0.7 percent of total exports. Meanwhile, Albanian imports from France dropped to 61 million Euros in 2012, down from a record high of Euro 93 million in 2011, representing only 1.6 percent of total imports for 2012.
