Accession of Albania to the European Union
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| Status | Candidate negotiating | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Earliest possible entry | 2027[1][2][3][4][5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Politics of Albania |
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| Albania |
Albania is on the current agenda for future enlargement of the European Union (EU). It applied for EU membership on 28 April 2009, and has since June 2014 been an official candidate for accession. The Council of the European Union decided in March 2020 to open accession negotiations with Albania.[6]
However, the country did not start accession negotiations because its candidacy was linked to that of North Macedonia, which was vetoed by Bulgaria.[7] On 24 June 2022, Bulgaria's parliament approved lifting the country's veto on opening EU accession talks with North Macedonia. On 16 July 2022, the Assembly of North Macedonia also approved the revised French proposal, allowing accession negotiations to begin.[8] The start of negotiations was officially launched on 19 July 2022.[9]
As of October 2024, Albania aims to be ready for accession by 2030, a timeline acknowledged by Prime Minister Edi Rama as "very ambitious."[10] After the 2025 Albanian parliamentary elections which led to the victory of Edi Rama's party, Emmanuel Macron stated that "in two years to come, as now he has a clear mandate (Edi Rama), he (Albania) will join the EU”, suggesting an entry of Albania as early as 2027.[11][12]
It is one of nine current EU candidate countries, together with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.
- ^ "The European Commission believes Montenegro and Albania are leading the EU accession process". Forum Europa. 13 May 2025.
- ^ "Speech by Commissioner Marta Kos at the EU International Affairs Conference". Forum Europa. 21 May 2025.
- ^ "Macron urges regional investment as Albania nears EU goal". Arab News. 17 May 2025.
- ^ "Macron says Albania to join the EU in 2 years, calls world companies to invest (video)". ddt. 18 May 2025.
- ^ ""Albania has shown capacity!" EU membership, Rama: 2027 has been set by the EU, the closest possible deadline". Newsbomb.al. 8 May 2025.
- ^ "EU Leaders Give Final OK To Begin North Macedonia, Albania Membership Talks". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 27 March 2020.
- ^ Dimitrievska, Valentina (23 June 2022). "Albania and North Macedonia remain stuck in EU accession process". bne IntelliNews. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ "North Macedonia: Parliament approves deal to start EU bid". Deutsche Welle. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ Casert, Raf (19 July 2022). "EU starts membership talks with Albania, North Macedonia". Associated Press. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ Tidey, Alice (15 October 2024). "Albania aims to be EU member by 2030, PM Rama says after 'historic' talks". Euronews. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ "Macron urges regional investment as Albania nears EU goal". Arab News. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ "Macron says Albania to join the EU in 2 years, calls world companies to invest (video)". DTT-NET. 18 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.