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The geopolitical dimension of enlargement policy became more pronounced in 2022, when Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia asked to join the EU. Since then, fresh geopolitical challenges have accelerated the need to reform enlargement policy and cemented a shift towards the merit-based integration of new countries. Geopolitical considerations include security and defence and also foreign policy alignment, for instance in terms of relations with strategic competitors, such as China and Russia. Enlargement ...

Albania has been an EU candidate country since June 2014. On 25 March 2020, the Council decided to open accession negotiations with the country, based on its progress in meeting the political criteria and fulfilling the five priorities that are key for EU membership. Accession negotiations effectively started in July 2022, when the first intergovernmental conference was held. The main challenges are flaws in the functioning of the judiciary, in the fight against corruption, and in the safeguarding ...

Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and has been an EU candidate country since June 2014. After having made some progress in meeting the political criteria and the objectives related to the five key priorities for opening its EU accession negotiations on 26 March 2020, Albania has been advancing towards EU membership at a very slow pace. The main remaining obstacles include flaws in the functioning of its judiciary, in the fight against corruption and in the safeguarding of media freedoms and minority ...

For the second time since the introduction of strict coronavirus containment measures, the European Parliament conducted its April plenary session with the majority of Members participating remotely, and used the alternative voting procedure put in place by Parliament's Bureau for the March II session. This temporary voting procedure is available for use until 31 July 2020, unless extended by Bureau decision. As in March, the session focused on a number of urgent legislative proposals as well as ...

Draft Amending Budget No 1/2020 (DAB 1/2020) would provide additional funds to help address the needs arising from the increased migration pressures in Greece, assist Member States to limit the impact of the coronavirus outbreak through meeting needs for equipment and medical products, and contribute to Albania's post-earthquake reconstruction. The European Parliament is expected to vote, under the urgent procedure, on the Council position on DAB 1/2020 during the 16-17 April plenary session.

The October 2019 European Council meeting will discuss Albania and North Macedonia. The 2018 western Balkans strategy aimed at injecting new momentum for EU enlargement, consequently European Commission President-designate Ursula von der Leyen, and High Representative and Vice-President-designate Josep Borrell, have declared that the EU would prioritise enlargement talks with the western Balkans. In the face of growing frustration and 'enlargement fatigue', a decision to open negotiations would be ...

In November 2018, the European Parliament is due to debate a resolution on the European Commission’s 2018 enlargement report on Albania. The latest report notes that Albania has made progress on its five key priorities; however, corruption and political instability remain pervasive, meaning the country cannot move beyond the early stages of accession preparation.

The first EU-Western Balkans Summit in a decade and a half takes place in Sofia in May 2018, under the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council. That is just one indicator of the EU's renewed engagement with the six countries of the region, with the Commission's February 2018 enlargement strategy reaffirming their perspective of joining the Union. This infographic, one of a series produced by EPRS in cooperation with Globalstat, offers an overview of the main economic and trade data – in particular on ...

The subject of trade facilitation and border management lies at the heart of EU trade policy, which seeks to take advantage of global value chains for the benefit of workers, consumers and businesses. This demands that goods may flow smoothly across borders without jeopardising EU values and standards. Trade facilitation principles help reduce the cost of cross-border trade in goods while safeguarding regulatory control objectives. Good border management practice is integral to trade facilitation ...

Media freedom, a core EU value and a cornerstone of democracy, is a priority reform area in the Western Balkans' EU accession agenda. Yet, despite a certain level of preparedness and a broadly developed legal framework, aspirant countries keep facing systemic shortcomings that require long-term sustained efforts. These efforts have stalled in recent years, resulting in a 'no progress' situation.