The implementation of instruments of pre-accession assistance for rural development (IPARD) face to the challenges of Albanian agricultural sector

The essay deals with the advancement in aligning the Albanian legal framework with special regard to the agricultural sector, within the EU accession negotiation process. Remarking a comparison with the legal schemes applied to the CEEC applicant Countries, it is analyzed the functioning of the EU support for pre-accession measures for rural development and the critical issues in the implementation of the IPARD assistance in Albania. Furthermore, it highlights the correspondence between the IPARD rules and the management and monitoring system laid down by Common Agricultural Policy regulations. Finally, the essay points out that, in the applicant Countries, both the correct definition of an administrative and control system within IPARD program, and the establishment of national market rules tailored for agricultural sector, in accordance with the EU Common Market Organization, can be considered an important step to enhance Albanian agricultural and food sector in the perspective of EU accession.