Accession of Albania to the European Union

• European Union
• Albania

Albania is one of the potential candidate countries of the European Union.

History

Signing of the Stabilisation and Assozierungsabkommens

The efforts for accession of Albania into the European Union date back to the year 2003, when the Balkan country was the first of the so-called " potential candidate " negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement ( SAA short ) recorded. Later in 2003, the EU expressed the view to include various Balkan countries, including Albania in the promise of Thessaloniki.

In May 2005, the then government of Albania expressed under the Socialist Fatos Nano hope to be able to join the EU in 2014, as this year marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In February 2006, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement was signed, which was officially signed on 12 June 2006. The ratification of the SAA by all EU Member States and Albania itself was completed on April 1, 2009. On the same day Albania became - along with Croatia - the military alliance of NATO.

Exemption of visas

On 1 January 2008 are down by all the Western Balkan countries (excluding Kosovo) visa facilitation and readmission agreement with the EU in force. Subsequently, the European Commission sent together with the participating States roadmaps for visa exemption. After Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina had the terms of timetables fully met, the EU granted as of December 15, 2010 visa-free regime for these countries. It applies to tourist travel to all Schengen countries for up to 90 days. Requirement is that travelers have a biometric passport and take up gainful employment.

Formal application for membership

On 28 April 2009 Albania handed before the parliamentary elections in June, a formal application for membership in the EU. On 16 November 2009, EU foreign ministers gave the application for accession to the European Commission, which will decide upon examination of the request, whether Albania officially given the status of a candidate country.

The way to EU membership candidate status since 2011

The political crisis in Albania, which followed the 2009 parliamentary elections, however, complicated the negotiations. On 20 May 2010, therefore, met the leaders of the two largest political groups in the European Parliament, Joseph Daul (EPP ) and Martin Schulz ( S & D), with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha (PD ) and opposition leader Edi Rama (PS ) to a mediation meeting together. The conversation, however, remained unsuccessful and the opposition boycotted the parliament for the other months. The crisis remained unresolved even after the local elections of 8 May 2011. Therefore, also suffered the relations between the EU and Albania. So Albania fulfilled the end of 2011, none of 12 required criteria for the award of an EU candidate status.

In December 2012, the next EU decision was imminent, whether Albania should receive the status of a candidate or not. On 22 November, the European Parliament approved a resolution by 61 votes to one against and two abstentions, after the Balkan country was given the status for the time being, however, until December some important, recommended by the European Commission's reforms would be carried out. The corresponding laws but failed in the Albanian Parliament on the rejection by the Socialists under its chairman Edi Rama. For this " blockade " the government and the opposition made ​​mutually responsible.

Meanwhile reiterated Johanna Deimel, the Deputy Managing Director of the Southeast Europe Association, their skepticism about obtaining the candidate status by Albania in December 2012. For the German wave, she explained that the southern European country still has a long way to go and there in terms of 'm going to obtaining candidate status very difficult. The European Council has 27 members, and whether all gave their consent for Albania, is uncertain. The country must solve its political problems on their own initiative and should not always hope for support from abroad. The urgent reforms must be initiated and the next parliamentary elections in 2013 were a test for the over 20 years democratically governed country. However, the second chance Albania failed again in late 2012, as the 12 criteria were still not satisfied.

The parliamentary elections of 23 June were a test of the democratic maturity of the country, it was also for the country on the Mediterranean. The ballot was calm as a whole. The Democrats under the previous Prime Minister Sali Berisha subject clearly their opponents, the socialists under the former mayor of Tirana, Edi Rama. Berisha congratulated his challenger to victory and resigned from all official posts back, which was a novelty for a Prime Minister in Albania.

On September 18, 2013 Prime Minister Edi Rama said in an interview with Euro News that an accession of Albania to the EU within the next ten years it is hoped from him.

In October 2013, the Commission recommended that the EU Council Albania confer candidate status. Not least, the parliamentary elections in June have proved the political maturity.

On 17 December 2013, the next round of the EU decision on Albania was held. Earlier expressed nine Member States of the EU's position that they occupied on 17 December during the EU foreign ministers meeting. The now, the only opponents were the Netherlands who are not yet ready saw Albania for EU accession candidates. Bulgaria, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia and Hungary promoted the commitment of Albania. The foreign ministers of the EU member states finally decided on a postponement of the start of accession negotiations with Albania on June 2014. Till then, especially the skeptical EU member states will review the ongoing reforms and assess new claims there are none. Namely, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France and the UK voted against an early start of negotiations before Christmas 2013. In her first speech in the Bundestag after her third inauguration as Chancellor told Angela Merkel that Germany in the future, Albania has continued the fight against organized crime will support, but the reforms have to be extended in order to obtain the EU candidate status in June 2014.