Accession of Albania to the European Union

Albanian EU accession bid
EU member state average Albania
PPP GDP ($M) 552,780 21,160
Area (km2) 165,048 28,748
Population 18,583,598 3,195,000[1]
Status
Stabilisation and Association
Website
http://www.mie.gov.al/
Albania

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Albania

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Albania applied for European Union membership on 28 April 2009. Officially recognized by the EU as a "potential candidate country", 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.

Following the steps of the recently admitted Eastern European countries in 2004, Albania has been extensively engaged with EU institutions, and joined NATO as a full member in 2009. It has also maintained its position as a stability factor and a strong ally of Western Europe in the troubled and divided region of the Balkans.[2]

Following its 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, a step in the accession process that usually takes about a year.[3] On December 16, 2009 the European Commission submitted the Questionnaire on accession preparation to the Albanian government. Albania returned answers to them on April 14, 2010.[4] Candidacy status was not recognized by the EU along with Montenegro in December 2010, due to the long-lasting political row in the country.[5]

Contents

Chronology of the relations with the European Union

Date Event
1992 Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and Albania. Albania becomes eligible for funding under the EU Phare programme.
1997 Regional Approach. The EU Council of Ministers establishes political and economic conditionality for the development of bilateral relations.
1999 The EU proposes the new Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) for five countries of South-Eastern Europe, including Albania.
1999 Albania benefits from Autonomous Trade Preferences with the EU.
2000 Extension of duty-free access to EU market for products from Albania.
June 2000 Feira European Council (June 2000) states that all the SAP countries are "potential candidates" for EU membership.
November 2000 at Zagreb Summit (November), the SAP is officially endorsed by the EU and the Western Balkan countries (including Albania).
2001 First year of the new CARDS programme specifically designed for the SAP countries
June 2001 The Commission recommends the undertaking of negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Albania. The Göteborg European Council (June 2001) invites the Commission to present draft negotiating directives for the negotiation of a SAA.
2002 Negotiating Directives for the negotiation of a SAA with Albania are adopted in October.
31 January 2003 On 31 January, Commission President Prodi officially launches the negotiations for a SAA between the EU and Albania.
June 2003 at Thessaloniki Summit (June), the SAP is confirmed as the EU policy for the Western Balkans. The EU perspective for these countries is confirmed (countries participating in the SAP are eligible for EU accession and may join the EU once they are ready).
December 2005 Council decision on the principles of a revised European Partnership for Albania.
12 June 2006 The SAA was signed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg.
9 November 2006 The European Commission decided to start visa facilitation negotiations with Albania.
13 April 2007 The visa facilitation agreement was signed in Zagreb. The signing EU Commissioner Franco Frattini was quoted saying that this is the first step toward a full abolishment of the visa requirements and the free movement of the Albanian citizens in the EU.
1 January 2008 The visa facilitation agreement entered into force.
7 March 2008 EU Commissioner Franco Frattini opened in Tirana the dialogue toward the liberalisation of the visa regime between Albania and EU.
14 January 2009 The SAA ratification process by all the member states was completed.
1 April 2009 The SAA entered into force.
28 April 2009 Albania formally applied for membership in the European Union.
16 November 2009 The Council of the EU asked the European Commission to prepare an assessment on Albania's readiness to start accession negotiations.[3]
16 December 2009 The European Commission submitted the Questionnaire on accession preparation to the Albanian government.
14 April 2010 Albania submitted answers to the European Commission's Questionnaire.[4]
27 May 2010 The European Commission proposed visa free travel for Albania. The adopted proposal will enable citizens of Albania to travel to Schengen countries without needing a short term visa.[6]
8 November 2010 Council of the European Union approved visa-free travel to Schengen Area for Albanian citizens.[7]
15 December 2010 Visa-free access to the Schengen area enters into force.

State of Stabilisation and Association Agreement ratification

Event Republic of
Macedonia [8]		 Croatia [9] Albania [10] Montenegro1 [11] Bosnia and
Herzegovina [12]		 Serbia2 [13] Kosovo
(under UNSCR 1244)3
SAA negotiations start 5.4.2000 24.11.2000 31.1.2003 10.10.2005 25.11.2005 10.10.2005 (?)
SAA initialled 24.11.2000 14.5.2001 28.2.2006 15.3.2007 4.12.2007 7.11.2007 (?)
SAA/IA signature 9.4.2001 29.10.2001 12.6.2006 15.10.2007 16.6.2008 29.4.2008 (?)
Interim Agreement:
EC ratification 27.4.2001 30.1.2002 12.6.2006 15.10.2007 16.6.2008 8.12.2009 (?)
SAP state ratification 27.4.2001 30.1.2002 9.10.2006 14.11.2007 20.6.2008 22.9.2008 (?)
entry into force 1.6.2001 1.3.2002 1.12.2006 1.1.2008 1.7.2008 1.2.2010 (?)
Notification of the EC of SAA ratification by:
SAP state 27.4.2001 30.1.2002 9.11.2006 13.11.2007 26.2.2009 22.9.2008 (?)
Austria 6.9.2002 15.3.2002 21.5.2008 4.7.2008 4.9.2009 13.1.2011 (?)
Belgium 29.12.2003 17.12.2003 22.10.2008 29.3.2010 29.3.2010 (2012) (?)
Bulgaria entered the EU later 30.5.2008 13.3.2009 12.8.2010 (?)
Cyprus entered the EU later 30.5.2008 20.11.2008 2.7.2009 26.11.2010 (?)
Czech Republic entered the EU later 7.5.2008 19.2.2009 23.7.2009 28.1.2011 (?)
Denmark 10.4.2002 8.5.2002 24.4.2008 25.6.2008 26.5.2009 4.3.2011 (?)
Estonia entered the EU later 17.10.2007 22.11.2007 11.9.2008 19.8.2010 (?)
Finland 6.1.2004 6.1.2004 29.11.2007 18.3.2009 7.4.2009 21.10.2011 (?)
France 4.6.2003 4.6.2003 12.2.2009 30.7.2009 10.2.2011 24.11.2011[14] (?)
Germany 20.6.2002 18.10.2002 19.2.2009 16.11.2009 14.8.2009 10.2.2011[15] (?)
Greece 27.8.2003 27.8.2003 26.2.2009 4.3.2010 20.9.2010 10.3.2011 (?)
Hungary entered the EU later 23.4.2007 14.5.2008 22.10.2008 16.11.2010 (?)
Ireland 6.5.2002 6.5.2002 11.6.2007 4.6.2009 4.6.2009 29.9.2011 (?)
Italy 30.10.2003 6.10.2004 7.1.2008 13.10.2009 8.9.2010 6.1.2011 (?)
Latvia entered the EU later 19.12.2006 17.10.2008 12.11.2009 30.5.2011 (?)
Lithuania entered the EU later 17.5.2007 4.3.2009 4.5.2009 (2012) (?)
Luxembourg 28.7.2003 1.8.2003 4.7.2007 11.6.2009 22.12.2010 21.1.2011 (?)
Malta entered the EU later 21.4.2008 11.12.2008 7.1.2010 6.7.2010 (?)
Netherlands 9.9.2002 30.4.2004 10.12.2007 29.1.2009 30.9.2009 (2012) (?)
Poland entered the EU later 14.4.2007 6.2.2009 7.4.2010 27.10.2011[16] (?)
Portugal 14.7.2003 14.7.2003 11.7.2008 23.9.2008 29.6.2009 4.3.2011 (?)
Romania entered the EU later 15.1.2009 8.1.2010 (2012) (?)
Slovakia entered the EU later 20.7.2007 29.7.2008 17.3.2009 11.11.2010 (?)
Slovenia entered the EU later 18.1.2007 7.2.2008 10.3.2009 7.12.2010 (?)
Spain 4.10.2002 4.10.2002 3.5.2007 12.3.2009 15.6.2010 21.6.2010 (?)
Sweden 25.6.2002 27.3.2003 21.3.2007 11.3.2009 14.9.2009 15.4.2011 (?)
United Kingdom 17.12.2002 3.9.2004 16.10.2007 12.1.2010 20.4.2010 11.8.2011 (?)
European Communities 25.2.2004 21.12.2004 26.2.2009 29.3.2010 (2012)4 (2012) (?)
SAA entry into force 1.4.2004 1.2.2005 1.4.2009 1.5.2010 (2012)4 (2012) (?)

(brackets): earliest possible date
1 For Montenegro, negotiations started in November 2005 while a part of Serbia and Montenegro. Separate technical negotiations were conducted regarding issues sub-state organizational competency. Mandate for direct negotiations with Montenegro established in July 2006. Direct negotiations were initiated on 26 September 2006 and concluded on 1 December 2006.[17]

2 For Serbia, negotiations started in November 2005 (as part of SiM, modified mandate from July 2006).

3 For Kosovo, a partially recognized breakaway province of Serbia, negotiations on a Stabilisation Tracking Mechanism began in 2003 and are still ongoing. The EU is still divided on how exactly to continue the SAP with Kosovo, as some of its members remain opposed to Kosovo's independence.

4 Although ratified by all member states, the entry into force of Bosnia's SAA has been delayed due to the fact that Bosnia has yet to make the required constitutional amendments.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ INSTAT of Albania (2010). "Population of Albania on January 1, 2010" (in Albanian). Institute of Statistics of Albania. http://www.instat.gov.al/graphics/doc/tabelat/Treguesit%20Sociale/Popullsia/POP%202009/t3.xls. Retrieved 16 August 2010. 
  2. ^ "INTERVIEW-Albania could apply next year to join EU". Forbes. 2008-09-11. http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/09/11/afx5414005.html. Retrieved 2008-09-12. 
  3. ^ a b http://euobserver.com/9/29001
  4. ^ a b "Albania's Berisha delivers questionnaire responses to Brussels". 2010-04-15. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2010/04/15/nb-07. Retrieved 2010-04-19. 
  5. ^ MEMO/10/553: Key findings of the Opinion on Albania; Enlargement Strategy and Progress Report 2010; [1]; Balkan Insight
  6. ^ "European Commission proposes visa free travel for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina". 2010-05-27. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/621&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en. Retrieved 2010-05-27. 
  7. ^ "Visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina" (PDF). Council Of The European Union. 2010-11-08. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/117555.pdf. Retrieved 8 November 2010. 
  8. ^ SAA Agreement with Macedonia, Council of the European Union
  9. ^ SAA Agreement with Croatia, Council of the European Union
  10. ^ SAA Agreement with Albania, Council of the European Union
  11. ^ SAA Agreement with Montenegro, Council of the European Union
  12. ^ SAA Agreement with Bosnia, Council of the European Union
  13. ^ SAA Agreement with Serbia, Council of the European Union
  14. ^ "France ratifies SAA with Serbia". 2011-11-24. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=11&dd=24&nav_id=77470. 
  15. ^ "German parliament ratifies SAA with Serbia". 2011-02-10. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2011/02/11/nb-07. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
  16. ^ "Poland ratifies SAA with Serbia". 2011-10-29. http://www.emg.rs/en/news/serbia/167432.html. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
  17. ^ "EU, Montenegro complete negotiations on pre-membership deal to bring country closer to bloc". International Herald Tribune. The Associated Press. December 1 2006. Archived from the original on September 25 2008. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080925180017/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/01/europe/EU_GEN_Montenegro_EU.php. Retrieved 4 April 2011. 
  18. ^ "Press: Bosnia-EU relations put on hold". daily.tportal.hr. 2011-04-26. http://daily.tportal.hr/124423/Press-Bosnia-EU-relations-put-on-hold.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 

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