BiblioTech – EU4SOCIALCARE – UNICEF
May 10, 2025
New regional initiative aims to embed human rights principles in local governance across Albania and North Macedonia
June 11, 2025
The Albanian Sustainable Development Organization (ASDO) is leading a strategic initiative to enhance the management of safe, legal, and regular labor migration between Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. This regional collaboration is focused on improving inspection procedures, strengthening institutional dialogue, and protecting the rights of migrant workers.
As part of the project “Enhancing the Management of Safe, Regular and Legal Migration in the Region (Addressing the Challenge of Irregular Cross-Border Migration),” supported by GIZ and the German Government, ASDO organized two high-level bilateral meetings with the national labor inspectorates of Montenegro and North Macedonia.
Bilateral Meetings in Podgorica and Skopje
The first meeting was held on March 21, 2025, in Podgorica, and the second on May 23, 2025, in Skopje. Participants included senior institutional representatives, labor inspectors, and advisors from all three countries.
These meetings provided a platform to discuss:
- The digitalization of labor inspection systems
- Joint inspections and cross-border cooperation mechanisms
- Legal procedures for registering seasonal workers
- EU standards on the free movement of workers
- Exchange of national best practices
Toward a Regional Memorandum of Understanding
A key outcome of the discussions was the decision to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This document will formalize regional cooperation, enabling:
- Information sharing between labor inspectorates
- Joint training initiatives
- The development of harmonized inspection protocols
ASDO will oversee the drafting of the MoU and coordinate two technical workshops aimed at aligning regional labor inspection standards.
“This cooperation is a concrete step toward improving the protection of migrant workers and enhancing our inspectorate’s ability to respond to cross-border challenges,” said Elo Muçaj, Director of the State Labor and Social Services Inspectorate of Albania.
“This project is not just about policy—it’s about creating meaningful dialogue among professionals on the ground,” said Ada Ilia, Executive Director of ASDO. “We’re building trust, closing operational gaps, and laying the foundation for long-term cooperation in the region.”
What’s Next
With a strong spirit of collaboration, all parties expressed a shared commitment to implementing tangible actions. In the coming months, ASDO will:
- Finalize the regional MoU
- Deliver two capacity-building workshops
- Promote compliance with EU employment directives
- Strengthen practical coordination among Western Balkan labor inspectorates
This initiative marks an important step toward building a more cohesive, transparent, and worker-focused approach to labor migration management in the Western Balkans.
Useful Links:
🔗 ASDO Migration and Labor Rights Projects
