Competencies
1. The Agency exercises its competencies based on the principles of legality, professionalism, responsibility, accountability, efficiency, and transparency, in accordance with the legislation in force.
2. The Agency, in exercising its administrative activities, has the following powers:
1) Organizes procedures for the issuance of licenses.
2) Monitors the operations of licensed and permitted entities.
3) Establishes standards for areas and land parcels where cannabis cultivation for medical and industrial purposes is permitted, approved by the Council of Ministers upon proposal from the Ministry of Agriculture.
4) Prepares every 3 years report on compliance with license and permit conditions, recommending amendments, suspensions, or revocations as necessary.
5) Collaborates with other competent authorities to achieve objectives and fulfill obligations arising from international agreements involving Albania.
6) Submits reports to relevant international organizations on the import and export of cannabis plants, by-products, and final products, in line with international conventions on narcotic and psychotropic substances.
7) Maintains and manages registries, databases, and national-level statistics as required by law.
8) Issues export authorizations for industrial cannabis and cannabis products.
9) Drafts regulations, guidelines, and methodologies to standardize the Agency’s processes and work practices, subject to approval by the Minister of Health.
10) Proposes to the Ministers of Agriculture and Environment the cadastral zones designated for industrial cannabis cultivation.
11) Implements administrative measures, fines, and suspensions on licensed and permitted entities under this law.
12) Evaluates requests for the sale of shares by license-holding entities and recommends approval to the Minister of Health for licenses and the Minister of Agriculture for permits.
3. In its technical activities, the Agency:
1) Monitors the use and planting of imported or domestically produced seeds and seedlings in Albania, in compliance with current laws on planting material and propagation, and registered in the national catalog.
2) Develops standards for each phase of the cannabis cultivation process, approved under the guidance of the Minister of Agriculture.
3) Coordinates with relevant state authorities for the registration and immediate inclusion in the national catalog of seeds and seedlings, subject to distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) testing.
4) Monitors and supervises the planting and cultivation of cannabis plants and their by-products for medical and industrial purposes, taking corrective actions if discrepancies in actual versus permitted cultivation quantities are identified.
5) Inspects all stages of cannabis cultivation, including planting, harvesting, drying, storage, and initial processing.
6) Inspects facilities and premises where processing of by-products and final products for medical purposes occurs, adhering to licensing requirements.
7) Implements measures for the seizure and destruction of cannabis plants or by-products as specified by law.
8) Collaborates with customs authorities to oversee the import regime of seeds and seedlings, as well as the export regime of medical and industrial cannabis by-products or final products.
9) Carries out any other activities mandated by other laws or subordinate legislation in the implementation of this law.