Tirana, 24 June 2025 – As part of the EU4Green project, a regional workshop on the implementation of the EU Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) was held in Tirana, Albania. The event gathered institutional representatives, technical experts, and practitioners from the six Western Balkan (WB) economies to review progress, share approaches, and present tools supporting alignment with EU environmental legislation.

The workshop is part of EU4Green’s Work Package 1–6, which supports efforts to reduce nitrate pollution from agricultural sources and contribute to broader objectives under the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and Cluster 4 of the EU accession negotiations.

The meeting agenda focused on five key pillars of the Nitrates Directive implementation:

• Surface and groundwater monitoring
• Designation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs)
• Development and application of Codes of Good Agricultural Practice (CGAP)
• Formulation of Action Programmes
• Reporting and evaluation mechanisms

These elements were presented through developed training materials and the final version of the Codes of Good Agricultural Practice brochure, both tailored to economy specific contexts and developed with input from previous bilateral workshops and regional consultations. The training materials, comprising the content from all workshop presentations, will be consolidated into a single document by the end of September.

A Livestock Manure Calculator was also introduced. Designed to support nitrogen management at farm level, this practical tool is now available in all six WB languages and is intended to assist farmers and advisory services in complying with relevant nitrate-related obligations. The tool and brochure were presented as a preview and are currently under internal review, with dissemination planned for September.

Status Across the Region

While progress varies between economies, the workshop provided a structured platform to take stock of the current situation:

• Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina have already designated NVZs or adopted legal frameworks.
• Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo* are in earlier stages, with ongoing work to establish monitoring systems, legal basis for CGAPs, and nitrogen modelling.

Discussion sessions allowed participants to examine technical and institutional aspects of implementation, including the challenges of cross-sectoral coordination between water and agriculture authorities.

Key Messages and Outlook

Participants underlined the importance of continuing technical assistance and maintaining economy`s ownership over the implementation process. The role of advisory services was also emphasized as central to the effective dissemination and application of the CGAP and Action Programmes at the farm level.

The workshop contributes to the overall EU objective of strengthening institutional capacities and supporting policy alignment in the region in view of EU accession. It also provides practical follow-up to the first regional workshop in Podgorica (2023) and complements the series of bilateral and thematic workshops held in 2024 and early 2025.

To ensure continuity beyond WP1–6, it was proposed to establishing an expert roundtable to foster regular dialogue between water management, agriculture ministries, and advisory services. This platform would support the transposition of EU environmental legislation and guide the implementation of future measures. It may also serve as a foundation for follow-up projects or funding opportunities under instruments such as IPARD III.

For more information, materials, and contacts, visit: www.EU4Green.eu or follow EU4Green on LinkedIn.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence