New Law on the Registration of Non-Profit Organizations

On August 18th, 2021 entered into force the Law 80/2021 “On the registration of non - profit organizations”.

 The Law has introduced the following novelties:

• Introduction of the Electronic Register of the Non-Profit Organizations. The date on which the latter will become active shall be published by the Albanian High Judicial Council not later August 30th. The Register shall be administered by Tirana Court of First Instance. 
• All types of registrations including but not limited to the application for the establishment and the deregistration of an non – profit organization (NPO) are performed through the submission of the application to Tirana Court of First Instance either in writing or electronically via the governmental portal of e-Albania.
• The electronic register is publicly available and may be accessed by any interested person.
• The right to use a name for the NPO shall be made on a first come, first served basis.
• In case of a) a false declaration of data in the electronic register by the NPO when it does not constitute a criminal offence or b) failure to perform the initial registration and other mandatory registrations within the statutory deadlines, the law provides for a fine amounting from 0.1% to 1% of the annual income declared by the NPO and in any case not less than ALL 30,000 (approx. EUR 250).
• The Judge of Tirana Court of First Instance should issue the decision on the establishment of the NPO, not later than 15 calendar days from the submission of the full set of the required documentation by the applicant.