Sustainable Gastronomy in Albania — The Need for Coherent Legal Integration of Agriculture, Food Quality Schemes, Tourism, and Intangible Cultural Heritage Nada Dollani1 I. Introduction. 1.1. From Etymology to Conceptual Clarity. 1.2. The Legal Relevance of Gastronomy. – II. Legal and policy intersections of agriculture, food law and intellectual property and tourism in shaping sustainable gastronomy. 2.1. Agricultural foundations and structural integration with sustainable gastronomy. 2.2. Food Law and Intellectual Property in the legal architecture of gastronomy. 2.3. Agrotourism as a legal framework for integrating agriculture, culture, and gastronomy in territorial development. – III. Legal Recognition and Institutional Protection of Gastronomy as Intangible Cultural Heritage. – IV. Conclusion: Toward a legally integrated framework for sustainable gastronomy in Albania. This article explores sustainable gastronomy in Albania as a legal and policy connection between agriculture, food law, intellectual property, tourism, and intangible cultural heritage. It argues that despite Albania’s rich biocultural diversity and traditional culinary practices, the absence of an integrated legal framework undermines the protection and valorisation of gastronomic heritage. The analysis highlights the fragmented nature of current legislation on food quality schemes, agrotourism, and cultural heritage, stressing the limited institutional coordination and weak enforcement capacity. Drawing on EU law, UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and national legislation, the study calls for a coherent legal architecture that links food systems with cultural preservation and rural development. Such an approach would prevent the commercial reduction of gastronomy to mere tourist attraction and instead position it as a strategic domain for safeguarding authenticity, enhancing territorial identity, and promoting sustainable development in Albania. DOI 10.60559/gl24 1 University of Tirana, Faculty of Law. nada.dollani@unitir.edu.al.
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