Accession of Albania to the European Union

Officially recognised by the EU as a "potential candidate country" in 2000, Albania started negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) in 2003. This was successfully agreed and signed on 12 June 2006, thus completing the first major step toward Albania's full membership in the EU. Albania applied for European Union membership on 28 April 2009. After Albania's application for EU membership, the Council of the European Union asked the European Commission on 16 November 2009 to prepare an assessment on the readiness of Albania to start accession negotiations. On 16 December 2009, the European Commission submitted the Questionnaire on accession preparation to the Albanian government. Albania returned answers to the Commission on 14 April 2010. On 5 December 2013, an MEP meeting recommended to the council to grant Albania candidate status. In June 2018 the European Council agreed on a pathway to starting accession talks with Albania by the end of 2019. Albania's EU accession is bundled with North Macedonia's EU accession. Albania is given certain pre-conditions for starting the accession negotiations, such as passing reforms in the justice system, a new electoral law, opening trials for corrupt judges and respect for the human rights of its Greek minority. In May 2019, European Commissioner Johannes Hahn reiterated this recommendation. However, in June the EU General Affairs Council decided to postpone their decision on opening negotiations to October, due to objections from a number of countries including the Netherlands and France. The decision was vetoed again in October. On 25 March 2020, the Council of the European Union decided to open accession negotiations, which was endorsed by the European Council the following day. In December 2022, Prime Minister Edi Rama hosted the 2022 EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana. On 13 September 2023, during her State of the European Union address, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the future of the Western Balkans was "in our Union". On 25 September 2024, the EU announced the decoupling of Albania from North Macedonia on the EU accession path, due to the disputes between North Macedonia and Bulgaria around the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia, which had delayed further talks. Following the decision on the decoupling of their processes, the EU opened negotiations on cluster 1 (Fundamentals) with Albania separately on 15 October 2024. On 17 December 2024, the EU opened negotiations on cluster 6 (External relations) with Albania. On 14 April 2025, negotiations were opened on cluster 2 (Internal market), and on 22 May 2025, also on cluster 3 (Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth). In May 2025, Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, reported that the opening of Cluster 4 (Green agenda and sustainable connectivity) and Cluster 5 (Resources, agriculture and cohesion) was scheduled for June. However, the sixth intergovernmental conference only later took place in September 16, with only Cluster 4 being opened. Albania opened negotiations on Cluster 5 on 17 November 2025 and is expected to begin the final phase of negotiations (i.e. closing the chapters) from 2026, aiming to conclude negotiations by either 2027 or 2028. ==Visa liberalisation process==

On 1 January 2008 the visa facilitation and readmission agreements between Albania and the EU entered into force. Albania received a road map from the EU for further visa liberalisation with Schengen countries in June 2008. On 8 November 2010 the Council of the European Union approved visa-free travel to the Schengen Area for citizens of Albania. ==EU financial aid==

In 2011, the EU paid €6 million to construct or refurbish border crossing points and border police stations to help Albania fight organised crime and illegal trafficking. Until 2020, Albania had been receiving €1.2bn of developmental aid from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, a funding mechanism for EU candidate countries. In 2024, the EU welcomed political agreement on the €6 billion Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, overall amount of the Facility for the period 2024-2027 is €6 billion. To finance the loan support, the European Union will raise €4 billion on the financial market until the end of 2027. The €2 billion of non-repayable support will be financed through additional resources from the Mid-Term revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Albania is expected to receive €922 million until 2027. ==Negotiation progress==

The screening process has been completed and all chapters have been opened, but none closed thus far. indicates chapters in which the European Commission has simultaneously awarded the chapter both "some level of preparation" AND "moderately prepared". indicates chapters in which the European Commission has simultaneously awarded the chapter both "moderately prepared" AND "good level of preparation". == Challenges to EU Accession ==

Critics have raised alarm over the extended use of pretrial detention, arguing that lengthy detention without timely trial risks undermining due process and the presumption of innocence, both core EU standards. Other persistent challenges include political interference in state institutions, weak coordination among judicial bodies, shortages of judges caused by the vetting process, and concerns over media freedom and transparency in governance. While Albania remains one of the frontrunners among candidate states, further structural reforms will be necessary before accession can be completed. ==Public opinion==

Back in 2012, 86.5 percent of Albanians were in favour of an EU membership bid, whilst in a 2021 poll it was found that as many as 97% of Albanians are in favour of EU accession. A survey carried out in March and April 2025 by Eurobarometer shows that citizens of Albania have a high level of trust in the EU (80%). When it comes to EU membership, the situation in the country is similar, with more than 80% of citizens of Albania believing it would be a good thing. According to the 2025 annual survey of opinion in Albania, 82% of citizens have a positive attitude towards the EU (44% very positive, 38% fairly positive), while trust in the EU is 92%. It is also revealed that 92% of citizens would vote in favour of Albania's membership of the EU if a referendum was held, while 93% of citizens believe that EU membership would bring more advantages than disadvantages. == Impact of joining ==

==Albania's foreign relations with EU member states==