Achieving progress on Albania’s pathway to EU accession

Context

In July 2022, the EU and Albania held the first Intergovernmental Conference opening negotiations for the country’s EU accession. To meet EU’s Internal Market requirements, Albania must transpose numerous acquis into national law, design and implement multiple strategies and plans of action. This requires coherent collaboration among hundreds of civil servants, and engagement of the private sector.

In phase one (2020 to 2023), the project supported the negotiating structures to conduct accession negotiations in chapters 1,3,20,28, develop local capabilities, design policies to fulfil accession conditions and establish stakeholder cooperation systems.

The second phase of the SANECA project builds on the experience and results of this. The area of intervention has expanded to the whole negotiating Cluster 2 Internal Market covering: free movement of goods, workers, services and capital, company law and competition policy, financial services, intellectual property, consumer protection and public health. These are all key to Albania’s progress in joining the EU’s Internal Market. Progress in the accession process requires structural change to Albania’s economy and the encouragement of a business-friendly environment for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Objective

Albania’s administration is better able to conduct accession negotiations in a participatory manner in matters pertaining to the Internal Market.

Approach

The project advises and provides expertise on methodologies and instruments, process maps and tools for inter-institutional coordination to institutions leading negotiations. It also supports harmonisation of national legislation with EU acquis, including gender aspects. Activities are carried out in a way that foster collaboration between the government and the private sector. 

Last update: February 2023