The EU’s Committee of Permanent Representatives of 27 member states authorized the Polish EU presidency to open negotiations with Albania on a new cluster of chapters after concluding that the country has made sufficient progress.

The Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union sent a letter to Albania on Wednesday, requesting the country’s negotiating position on four key policy areas included in the Cluster 4 Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity.

The talks will be part of the upcoming Sixth Intergovernmental Conference, expected to be scheduled by the Polish EU presidency soon.

The negotiation Cluster 4 includes key economic and structural reforms with direct impact on citizens’ daily lives and the country’s long-term development.

This cluster also includes important reforms in transport policy, focusing on road and rail infrastructure and safety; energy policy, aimed at ensuring sustainable and affordable energy supplies; trans-European networks, improving Albania’s connectivity with EU corridors; and environmental protection and climate change, through alignment with EU standards.

Chapter 14, which deals with transport policy, aims to improve road and rail infrastructure and safety;

Chapter 15 relates to the energy sector and ensuring a sustainable and affordable energy supply;

Chapter 21 focuses on trans-European networks and the infrastructural interconnection of Albania with EU countries, as an important part of the European Corridors;

While Chapter 27 assesses environmental protection and climate change mitigation, through high EU standards.

/j.p/u.sh/

This conference will serve to open negotiations with Albania on Cluster 3 “Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth”, which includes:

Chapter 10 – Digital Transformation and Media

Chapter 16 – Taxation

Chapter 17 – Economic and Monetary Policy

Chapter 19 – Social and Employment Policy

Chapter 20 – Enterprise and Industry Policy

Chapter 25 – Science and Research

Chapter 26 – Education and Culture

Chapter 29 – Customs Union

On 24 March 2020, the foreign ministers gave the political green light to opening of negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. This decision was adopted in writing and supported by the European Council.

On 19 July 2022, there was held the first Albania-EU Intergovernmental Conference, which officially marked the opening of negotiations with Albania.

On 15 October 2024, there was held the second Conference, where there were opened the negotiations for Cluster 1 – Fundamentals.

On 17 December 2024, there was held the third Conference, where there were opened the negotiations for Cluster 6 – External Relations.

On 14 April 2025, there was held the fourth Conference, which focused on Chapter Group 2 – Internal Market and where the EU also set the criteria for the provisional end of the chapters of this cluster. /j.p/r.e/p.s./

The prime minister made this statement during his “Eye to Eye” feature in the social media, where he responded to citizens’ comments addressed on social platforms, while also commenting on the electoral rally yesterday in Fier, adding that “the socialist capital, Fier, was in flames yesterday”.

Speaking again on the negotiations, Rama said that 16 clusters have already been approved, while 8 more are being opened now, so a total of 24 chapters, while 11 more remain to be opened.

“I hope that with the fresh power that May 11 elections will give, we will also open the other clusters within the current year. It would be a European record because no country has opened negotiations so quickly and no country has ended negotiations in three years. We have a deadline of 2027 and the European destiny is up to us; we must definitely do our part”, said Rama. /j.p/p.s./

The government head said in a televised interview this evening that 11 more negotiating chapters have yet to open, voicing confidence that the remaining chapters will definitely open within this year.

Albania’s goal is to wrap up negotiations by 2027, with full membership in sight by 2030.

“Prior to the campaign rally in Fier today, I learned that the decision has been made to open a new cluster that covers eight chapters, taking the number of opened chapters to 24. The negotiation chapters have been opened in record time and 11 more chapters remain to be open within this year,” PM Rama said.

/a.f/r.e/u.sh/

In a post today in the social media, Gonzato added that, “Now, the EU-related reforms must be approved and implemented”.

“Another important step for Albania on its EU journey: the opening of the internal market cluster! Now it’s important to adopt and implement the EU-related reforms. Continued alignment with the EU acquis brings Albania closer to a united and more secure Europe. The EU will continue to support Albania at every step of the way,” EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato.

“Another important step for Albania on its path towards the European Union: the opening of the cluster on the Internal Market! Now, it is important to approve and implement the EU-related reforms”, he said.

According to Ambassador Gonzato, the approximation with EU legislation brings Albania closer to a more united and secure Europe.

“The EU will continue to support Albania at every step of this journey”, said EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato.

Albania opened negotiations with the European Union yesterday in Luxembourg for Chapter 2 “Internal Market”, while so far negotiations have been opened for Chapter 1 “Fundamentals” and Chapter 6 “Foreign Policy”./m.m/r.e/p.s./

During his speech in a meeting with former employees of the State Police, the National Guard, Police Supervision Agency and Fire Service to evaluate their contribution during missions in the service of the country, PM Rama said that it is the proper time to get as much as possible from the negotiation process with the European Union.

“Tomorrow, there is a very significant moment ahead of us; we are set to open another cluster of negotiations with the EU. We believe that we will turn this moment into an opportunity to get as much as possible from the EU in terms of negotiations and possibly conclude the negotiations before the EU, who knows, is back to that previous mood”, emphasized Rama.

Rama is expected to arrive in Brussels on Monday evening, to continue with the meetings on Tuesday.

Albania is due to open negotiations with the EU tomorrow for Cluster 6: Foreign Relations, as the Third Intergovernmental Conference between Albania and the European Union will be held in Brussels.

Prime Minister Edi Rama will head the Albanian delegation to the conference. The cluster contains two chapters: Chapter 30 – Foreign Relations and Chapter 31 – Foreign, Security and Defense Policy.

This decision follows the opening of the “Fundamentals” cluster on October 15, which includes key reforms in justice, the rule of law, fundamental rights and the functioning of democratic institutions.

The Intergovernmental Conference is expected to mark another decisive moment for the progress of Albania’s accession process. /a.f/p.s./

During an interview for the Albanian Telegraphic Agency, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Megi Fino spoke about the concrete expectations from this process, the challenges that Albania faces, as well as the significance of cooperation with European institutions and involvement of the civil society.

She also emphasized that the opening of this cluster will bring many benefits to Albanian citizens, improving the economic and social life of the country. It will brings economic development of the country and increase foreign investments.

Speaking about Albania’s concrete expectations for the opening of the first cluster of negotiations with the European Union at the Second Intergovernmental Conference, Fino said that, “The opening of the first cluster, called “Fundamentals”, is the cornerstone on the road to the European Union, since progress in it determines the pace of all membership negotiations. It is the first cluster to open and the last to close.

She said that progress in these areas marks direct benefits for Albanian citizens, as well as tangible progress in state formation, consolidation of the judiciary, the rule of law, migration, internal affairs, and public administration reform.

With the opening and fulfillment of the intermediate conditions in this cluster, Albania has the right to advance in the opening of other clusters of membership negotiations, a total of 6, as well as to close as soon as possible the negotiation clusters for which Albania is fully-prepared.

“Technically, Albania is ready now to open a number of clusters, aspiring to open other clusters within the following weeks and months”, said Fino.

The opening of negotiations has re-energized the process. Albania has agreed with the European Commission for keeping a detailed work-plan on every field that affects each cluster during this rather positive moment for our country.

The work and every other reform ahead will continue at this pace and with the standards already established to include an inherent development for the entire Albanian society./p.s./