The decision was approved by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) and reflects a positive assessment by the European Commission and member states of Albania’s reform progress in industry and entrepreneurship, MIA said.

Chapter 20 – enterprise and industrial policy – covers policies aimed at creating a more competitive, innovative and sustainable business environment. It includes support for small and medium-sized enterprises, improving investment conditions and strengthening the economy’s ability to integrate into the EU single market.

The chapter also addresses innovation, digitalisation, the green transition, entrepreneurial skills and private-sector productivity, in line with EU policies and practices.

Its provisional closure would confirm progress in developing the strategic, institutional and regulatory framework for industrial policy and entrepreneurship, the agency said, adding that the milestone would send a positive signal to investors, businesses and international partners.

For Albanian businesses and citizens, the progress could open up further opportunities for investment, innovation, economic growth and employment as the country moves closer to the EU single market.

Chapter 20 would become the fourth negotiating chapter provisionally closed by Albania in three months, once the decision is formalised on October 13.

The decision also signals continued political support for Albania’s accession process and confidence in its institutions as the country pursues its goal of joining the EU by 2030.

Albania remains committed to continuing reforms in close cooperation with EU institutions and member states, the agency said.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania was preparing for an important new stage in the accession process, stressing that the country’s path toward EU membership continues to advance.

The move follows a July 10 decision by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU Member States (COREPER), which approved the European Union’s common position on the provisional closure of negotiations on Chapter 25 (Science and Research), Chapter 26 (Education and Culture) and Chapter 30 (External Relations).

The decision reflects the EU member states’ and the European Commission’s assessment of Albania’s sustained progress in implementing reforms and advancing its accession process, while reaffirming confidence in the country’s ability to meet the obligations of EU membership.

COREPER’s endorsement also recognizes the results of reforms implemented over recent years, Albania’s advanced alignment with the EU acquis, and the commitment of the country’s institutions to pursuing the Albania 2030 European agenda.

Albania formally opened accession negotiations with the European Union at the first intergovernmental conference on July 19, 2022, following the European Council’s March 2020 decision to launch membership talks and the subsequent approval of the negotiating framework under the EU’s revised enlargement methodology.

Since then, the two sides have opened negotiations across all six thematic clusters of the accession process.

Talks on the Fundamentals cluster were launched at the second intergovernmental conference on Oct. 15, 2024, covering the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform, the judiciary and fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security, as well as public procurement, statistics and financial control.

The External Relations cluster followed on Dec. 17, 2024, opening negotiations on Chapters 30 and 31, covering external relations and the common foreign, security and defence policy.

Negotiations on the Internal Market cluster were launched on April 14, 2025, encompassing the free movement of goods, workers, services and capital, company law, intellectual property, competition policy, financial services, and consumer and health protection.

The Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth cluster was opened on May 22, 2025, covering digital transformation and media, taxation, economic and monetary policy, social policy and employment, enterprise and industrial policy, science and research, education and culture, and the customs union.

The Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity cluster followed on Sept. 16, 2025, with negotiations on transport, energy, trans-European networks, and environment and climate policy.

At the seventh intergovernmental conference on Nov. 17, 2025, Albania opened the Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion cluster, completing the opening of negotiations across all six accession clusters.

The eighth intergovernmental conference, held on May 26, 2026, marked the transition to the next phase of the accession process after COREPER confirmed that Albania had met the interim benchmarks under the Fundamentals cluster, paving the way for the provisional closure of negotiating chapters.

Tuesday’s ninth intergovernmental conference is expected to deliver the first provisional closure of accession chapters, with negotiations on Chapters 25, 26 and 30 set to be concluded provisionally.

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In a statement on the social media, the government head said that the country’s EU membership process is now a concrete reality, not just an aspiration and the process is moving forward uninterruptedly as Albania will hold the fourth intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg.

Rama criticized the opposition to undermine progress and spread false claims that EU talks were stalled.

“What did they say? It is over. No more chapters will open as EU has blocked ‘the narco-state’” PM Rama wrote, deriding the opposition via a video-message on the social media.

The government head said he was en route to the intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg, where Cluster 2 of EU accession negotiations will open on Monday afternoon.

“This is another milestone proving we know the way forward,” Rama said, describing the EU path as a national mission that requires unity, determination, and a shared goal to close negotiations by 2027.

“Today’s meeting is just another station confirming not only that we know this path and we are a step closer to achieving our major objective of completing EU accession talks within 2027,” PM Rama said.

Rama called the moment “historic,” urging Albanians to stand together in what he called the final stretch toward securing the country’s place in the EU.

“Europe is no longer just a hope for Albania. It’s an open door we must walk through together,” he said.

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The conference will mark the opening of negotiations on Cluster 3 on Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth. Foreign Minister of Poland highlighted advantages of the EU enlargement policy.

“We are looking forward to opening a new cluster of accession negotiations with Albania with an intergovernmental conference scheduled to take place next month, as well as to continuing negotiations with Montenegro. EU enlargement is a win-win process with mutual gains, both for the candidate countries and for the EU. I would illustrate this with trade figures between German and Poland since Poland became an EU member. Trade exchanges between our two countries saw an eightfold increase,” Radoslaw Sikorski said.

On October 15, 2024, Albania opened the Cluster 1 on Fundamentals which includes the foundations of the rule of law and democracy.

On December 17, 2024, the country opened negotiations on Cluster 6 on external relations, foreign, security, and defense Policy.

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In a press conference, Foreign Minister underlined that Albania has been ready for the second intergovernmental conference with the EU for a year now.

“Work is being made for the conference to take place in the next few weeks, and I mean late September or early October,” Foreign Minister told reporters.

Hasani said he was confident that Albania is ready for this crucial moment.

“We have been prepared for a year. The first cluster-chapter is complete and just needs to be officially opened. We’re also ready for two other cluster-chapters and are working to ensure political issues do not disrupt our technical agenda,” he said.

“The chief negotiator and the negotiating team are working extensively so that political obstacles do not hinder the technical agenda and I am very optimistic that many things will be finally taken forward this autumn, as many good mechanisms will be in place and we will be prepared to move quickly forward with the new configuration of the European Commission,” Foreign Minister Hasani said.

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In her remarks, the Albanian chief diplomat praised the support of the Netherlands in holding the first Intergovernmental Conference between Albania and the EU.

“We hope that the Dutch Parliament will support the government’s position. We are confident that in the near future we will work together to expand the relations between the two countries,” Minister Xhaçka said.

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhaçka paying an official visit to Brussels as part of the Albanian delegation to the NATO summit, headed by the Prime Minister Edi Rama. //a.i/