European Commission’s annual report praises Albania’s progress, supports opening another cluster of negotiations this year

The Commission’s annual enlargement package notes that Albanian authorities ‘have maintained a high level of ambition to move forward in the accession negotiations. According to the Commission, Albania has continued to make progress, in particular on the comprehensive justice reform and the vetting process, good results in anti-corruption cases, and by increasing its capacities in financial investigations against organised crime. 

Following the opening of negotiations on the fundamentals cluster, the Commission also ‘supports the opening of negotiations on cluster 6 – External Relations towards the end of the year if the positive trend continues’. 

The Commission notes the Albanian government’s objective to close accession negotiations by the end of 2027 and states that ‘the Commission is ready to support this ambitious objective’. 

Context: After the first intergovernmental conference on accession negotiations between the EU and Albania in July 2022, the screening sessions for all six clusters of the EU acquis were completed by November 2023. 

In autumn 2023, following the Commission’s screening reports, the Council provided the country with the benchmarks required to open negotiations on cluster 1 (fundamentals).

At the end of 2023, the Commission presented the opening benchmarks assessment report to the Council, concluding that Albania had fulfilled the requirements to begin negotiations on the fundamentals cluster. The opening of these negotiations at the second intergovernmental conference on October 15, marked a significant milestone on Albania’s path toward EU accession.

Additionally, the Commission has recently presented to the Council the screening report on cluster 6 – External Relations and the Enlargement package expresses support for the opening of this cluster by the end of this year.

The cluster covers a policy area where Albania’s progress is particularly highlighted by the Commission. The Commission praises ‘Albania’s active engagement during its term as a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council until the end of 2023, as well as its record of full alignment with the EU’s common and foreign security policy’ which ‘testify to its strategic choice of EU accession and its role as a reliable international partner’.

To make further progress towards accession, the Commission stresses that ‘it is crucial for the authorities to further intensify the pace of EU oriented reforms, notably on the rule of law, consolidating the track record on law enforcement, on effectively fighting corruption and organised crime, and the promotion of fundamental rights, including media freedom, property rights, and minorities.’