Artificial intelligence is reshaping international tax administration

On December 9, 2024, at the regional conference 'Shaping the Future of GovTech', Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, made a significant announcement regarding the country's European Union membership negotiations. He stated that Albania has adopted an innovative approach by employing artificial intelligence to facilitate the transfer of EU legislation. This model enables Albania to expedite the legislative integration process, which traditionally involved a considerable backlog of documents. Previously, the country managed to process an average of 60 legislative pieces annually, but the introduction of AI accelerates the handling of approximately 4,000 pieces of legislation. During the conference held in Luxembourg, where Albania recently opened negotiations for its first group chapter in the EU accession process, Rama highlighted the extraordinary potential of this AI-driven model. He emphasized that it not only allows for rapid translation of thousands of documents but also incorporates analytical capabilities to assess the impact of new laws. This significant advancement in the legal and administrative framework demonstrates Albania's commitment to meeting the requirements set by the EU, a journey it embarked on back in 2003. Since the Thessaloniki European Council summit in June 2003, Albania has aspired to become a member of the EU, aligning its legal systems and regulations with European standards. The use of artificial intelligence marks a remarkable technological transformation, distinguishing Albania from other nations open to EU negotiations, where such advanced methodologies are notably absent. The Prime Minister commented on the earlier pace of work characterizing the legislative process, which was complex and involved extensive human resources for translation and drafting. Rama's remarks reinforced the notion that leveraging technology like artificial intelligence is vital for future governance and legislative efficiency. This strategic use of AI signifies a pivotal step toward Albania's integration into Europe, providing not only faster processing times but also creating a more effective approach to understanding the implications of various legal texts on the country’s governance. As such, this moment serves as both a landmark achievement for Albania and a potential blueprint for other countries aspiring to integrate into EU structures.