Barleti Joins Leadership Forum Discussion on Albania’s Path Toward EU Integration
Competitiveness, agriculture, and opportunities from the EU’s emerging biotech and R&I agenda take center stage
On 19 November 2025, Barleti University took part in Rising Together – Albania’s Journey Toward a Renewed Europe, a Leadership Forum event that brought together ambassadors, representatives of the Government of Albania, EU regulation experts, and members of the business community to discuss one central question:
What should Albanian businesses do today to remain competitive in the EU single market?
Michele Biring-Pani, representing Barleti Medical Group and the broader Barleti ecosystem, joined the forum discussions, which opened with a presentation by Erik Akse, Founder of the Impact Assessment Institute. His analysis highlighted the economic cost of EU accession for sectors such as fossil fuels, tobacco, and agriculture.
Against this backdrop, Barleti University contributed a complementary perspective focused on emerging opportunities. Drawing on its role as an EIT Food Delivery Partner, Barleti emphasized how new European initiatives—including the forthcoming EU Biotech Act 2025 and the renewed European Research & Innovation (R&I) agenda—can unlock space for:
- Clearer and more coherent frameworks for biotech and biomanufacturing
- Stronger support for innovators, startups, and SMEs
- The development of new technologies, new manufacturing processes, new methodologies, and potentially new jobs in countries like Albania
“EU accession has a cost,” noted Michele Biring-Pani, “but it also has the potential to bring once-in-a-generation opportunities in agrifood, biotech, and health.”
The conversations continued informally, particularly around how these evolving EU policy directions may influence healthcare—a sector that remains a strategic priority for Barleti University and its affiliated initiatives.
Barleti University will continue to engage in such forward-looking dialogues, connecting education, research, and business to ensure that Albania’s next generation of professionals is prepared not only to compete in the EU single market, but also to contribute to its future.