Within the Component 3 of the project, a workshop on Mutual Recognition of AEOs in CEFTA was held on March 28-29, 2018 in Tirana, Albania. The objective of the Workshop was to discuss the planning of a pilot exercise for implementation of the Mutual Recognition (MR) of AEO Programmes in CEFTA, which is to be established on the basis of national AEO Programmes, in line with Additional Protocol 5 (AP5). The international experts contracted by GIZ presented the results of national assessments of the current state of AEO and MR implementation in all CEFTA Parties. Beside current level of implementation and legal basis, the necessities of all CEFTA Parties in fully implementing the AEO and MR concept were discussed.

The objective of the MR pilot exercise is to assist the CEFTA Parties to get prepared for implementation of MR of AEO Programmes before the formal extended implementation starts in all Parties. Therefore, the MR pilot will be of crucial importance for development of core skills of involved CEFTA parties for piloting, running and maintaining the MR of AEO Programmes in CEFTA. The goal of the workshop was fulfilled, with all CEFTA Parties expressing their willingness to participate in the MR pilot programme. Likewise, the workshop was used to determine the following steps to be taken by all stakeholders in the programme: CEFTA Parties, Project team, CEFTA Subcommittee on Customs and Rules of Origin as well as the timelines for the foreseen activities. The piloting phase should commence from June 2018.