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Albania

Albania applied for EU membership in April 2009 and was granted EU candidate status in June 2014. The EU held its first intergovernmental conference with Albania in July 2022. So far, all 33 negotiation chapters have been opened and three have been provisionally closed.

Enlargement

EU membership application

Albania's application for EU membership was submitted on 24 April 2009.

On 9 November 2010, the European Commission issued its opinion on Albania's EU membership application. The Commission assessed that before accession negotiations could be formally opened, Albania still had to achieve a necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria, particularly to meet 12 key priorities identified in the opinion.

In October 2012, the European Commission recommended that Albania be granted candidate status, subject to completion of key measures in the areas of judicial and public administration reform and revision of the parliamentary rules of procedures.

Albania was granted EU candidate status in June 2014.

Accession negotiations 

In April 2018, the European Commission issued a recommendation to open accession negotiations with Albania. In June 2018 the Council adopted conclusions, in which it agreed to respond positively to the progress made by Albania, and set out the path towards opening the accession negotiations in June 2019.

On 24 March 2020, ministers for European affairs gave their political agreement to the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. This was formally adopted by written procedure and endorsed by the European Council in the days that followed.

Accession conference meetings

Accession negotiations take place at intergovernmental conferences (often called 'accession conferences') between ministers and ambassadors of the EU member states and the candidate. The negotiations cover the body of common rights and law (the 'EU acquis') and are divided into different chapters, or clusters of chapters, covering different policy fields. The meetings can be held at either ministerial or deputy level.

On 19 July 2022, the first ministerial-level meeting of the accession conference with Albania opened accession negotiations. Since then, nine accession conference meetings have been held. So far, all 33 chapters have been opened, of which three have been provisionally closed.

The latest meeting of the accession conference with Albania was held on 14 July 2026. At the meeting, the parties provisionally closed negotiations on three chapters:

  • chapters 25 (science and research)
  • chapter 26 (education and culture)
  • chapter 30 (external relations)

The previous meeting, held on 26 May 2026, confirmed that Albania had  fulfilled the interim benchmarks and set closing benchmarks for cluster 1, the 'fundamentals' cluster, covering the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform and economic criteria.

Prior to that, at accession conferences in 2024 and 2025, all negotiation clusters with Albania were opened.

Stabilisation and association process

All Western Balkan partners have a 'stabilisation and association agreement', which sets the overall framework for their relationship with the EU. It runs in parallel to and is supportive of EU accession negotiations. Albania's stabilisation and association agreement has been ratified, and it entered into force on 1 April 2009.

EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Council

To review the progress of EU-Albania relations under the stabilisation and association process, representatives from the EU and Albania meet in the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Council.

As of March 2023, there have been 12 EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Council meetings. During the last meeting, which was held on 16 March 2023 in Tirana, participants discussed the accession strategy, including political, economic and EU-law criteria for EU membership, and reviewed progress in implementing the stabilisation and association agreement.

Annual progress review

Every year, the Council takes stock of progress made in each of the EU candidates and partners, including Albania, on their European path.

On 16 December 2025, the Danish Council presidency issued conclusions that were politically supported by 26 of the EU member states.

Border management cooperation

To manage migratory flows, counter illegal immigration and tackle cross-border crime, the EU and Albania have an agreement on broader cooperation on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). The agreement allows Frontex and Albania to conduct joint operations and for Frontex staff to carry out border checks and register persons.

The agreement with Albania entered into force on 1 June 2024.

European peace facility

Under the European peace facility, an instrument aimed at preventing conflict and strengthening international security, the EU has adopted assistance measures to support the Albanian armed forces. The measures also help to strengthen Albania's capacities to participate in EU security and defence operations and reflects Albania's full alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy. So far, Albania has received €49 million in assistance measures under the facility.

In June 2022, the Council also adopted assistance measures to benefit the Balkan medical task force, which include procuring the necessary equipment and materiel for the medical units of Albania's armed forces. The aim is to strengthen military medical capabilities and civilian relief efforts in the Western Balkans region.

A military helmet, an olive branch and the stars of the EU flag.
European Peace Facility

European Peace Facility

See also

Topics

Last review: 14 July 2026