Proceedings - International Balkan and Near Eastern Congress Series on Economics Business and Managemement

The study aims to examine the public procurement systems in Albania, Croatia, and Romania with regard to their conformity to EU directives and innovation strategies adoption. The paper main hypothesis is that based on the case studies of Albania, Croatia and Romania, public policy frameworks that align with EU regulations and are driven toward innovation produce more efficient, transparent, and sustainable public procurement practices. It argues that while all the three Balkan countries have incorporated in various steps the European public procurement laws, Croatia stands out for its advanced integration of EU innovation policies, actively supporting strategic procurement and R&D investment. Romania, despite improvements in professionalizing procurement staff, remains limited in innovation procurement. Meanwhile Albania is progressing toward digitalization and transparency but still faces many challenges in fostering innovation within procurement processes. To maximize the potential of public procurement in driving sustainable economies, further enhancements in innovation strategies and policy frameworks are needed in the countries taken here as case studies.