Accession of Albania to the European Union (EU) is on the agenda for future enlargement of the EU. Albania applied for EU membership on 28 April 2009, and has since June 2014 been an official candidate for accession. The Council of the European Union decided in March 2020 to open accession negotiations with Albania.
The formal start of negotiations was delayed, however, because Albania’s path was linked to that of North Macedonia, which was vetoed by Bulgaria. On 24 June 2022, Bulgaria's parliament approved lifting the country's veto on opening EU accession talks with North Macedonia. On 16 July 2022, the Assembly of North Macedonia also approved the revised French proposal, allowing accession negotiations to begin. The start of negotiations was officially launched on 19 July 2022.
In October 2024, Albania aimed to be ready for accession by 2030, a timeline acknowledged by Prime Minister Edi Rama of the Socialist Party of Albania as "very ambitious." Following the Socialist Party's victory in the 2025 parliamentary elections, Emmanuel Macron suggested that Albania could potentially join as early as 2027, citing renewed political momentum.
As of 2026, the European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos indicated that Albania could complete its negotiations by the end of 2027, potentially entering the EU shortly after Montenegro.
Albania is one of nine current EU candidate countries, together with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Chronology of relations with the European Union Officially recognised by the EU as a "potential candidate country" in 2000, 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.
Albania applied for European Union membership on 28 April 2009. After Albania's 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. On 16 December 2009, the European Commission submitted the Questionnaire on accession preparation to the Albanian government. Albania returned answers to the Commission on 14 April 2010. On 5 December 2013, an MEP meeting recommended to the council to grant Albania candidate status. On 23 June 2014, under the Greek EU Presidency, the Council of the European Union agreed to grant Albania candidate status, which was endorsed by the European Council a few days later. Following in the steps of countries joining the EU in 2004, Albania has been extensively engaged with EU institutions, and joined NATO as a full member in 2009.
The European Commission recommended that the EU open membership talks with Albania in its November 2016 assessment. In June 2018 the European Council agreed on a pathway to starting accession talks with Albania by the end of 2019.
Albania's EU accession was initially bundled with North Macedonia's EU accession. Albania was given certain pre-conditions for starting the accession negotiations, such as passing reforms in the justice system, a new electoral law, opening trials for corrupt judges and respect for the human rights of its Greek minority.
In May 2019, European Commissioner Johannes Hahn reiterated this recommendation. However, in June the EU General Affairs Council decided to postpone their decision on opening negotiations to October, due to objections from a number of countries including the Netherlands and France. The decision was vetoed again in October. On 25 March 2020, the Council of the European Union decided to open accession negotiations, which was endorsed by the European Council the following day.
In December 2022, Prime Minister Edi Rama hosted the 2022 EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana.
On 13 September 2023, during her State of the European Union address, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the future of the Western Balkans was "in our Union".
On 25 September 2024, the EU announced the decoupling of Albania from North Macedonia on the EU accession path, due to the disputes between North Macedonia and Bulgaria around the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia, which had delayed further talks. Following the decision on the decoupling of their processes, the EU opened negotiations on cluster 1 (Fundamentals) with Albania separately on 15 October 2024.
On 19 November 2024, Albania and the European Union signed a Security and Defence Partnership.
On 17 December 2024, the EU opened negotiations on cluster 6 (External relations) with Albania. On 14 April 2025, negotiations were opened on cluster 2 (Internal market), and on 22 May 2025, also on cluster 3 (Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth).
In May 2025, Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, reported that the opening of Cluster 4 (Green agenda and sustainable connectivity) and Cluster 5 (Resources, agriculture and cohesion) was scheduled for June. However, the sixth intergovernmental conference only later took place in September 16, with only Cluster 4 being opened. Albania opened negotiations on Cluster 5 on 17 November 2025.
On 21 May 2026, the Working Group on Enlargement in the European Union, COELA, approved the Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR) on Albania's progress in the accession process. On 26 May 2026, the eighth Intergovernmental Conference marked the official beginning of the final phase of negotiations (i.e. closure of chapters). Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama's stated aim is to conclude negotiations by either 2027 or 2028.
On 30 September 2026, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen started her Western Balkans tour by visiting Albania. At a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, she described Albania as one of the leading countries in the European Union accession process, it was reported by BalkanWeb.com. TimelineDateEvent1992 A Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and Albania was signed, and Albania became eligible for funding under the EU Phare programme.1997 The EU Council of Ministers established political and economic conditionality for the development of bilateral relations between Albania and the EU.1999 The EU proposed the new Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) for five countries of Southeastern Europe, including Albania. Starting from 1999 Albania benefited from Autonomous Trade Preferences with the EU.2000 Duty-free access to EU market was granted for products from Albania.June 2000 The European Council stated that all the SAP countries are "potential candidates" for EU membership.November 2000 At the Zagreb Summit, the SAP was officially endorsed by the EU and the Western Balkan countries (including Albania).2001 The first year of the new CARDS programme specifically designed for the SAP countries.June 2001 The Commission recommended the undertaking of negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Albania. The Göteborg European Council invited the commission to present draft negotiating directives for the negotiation of a SAA.31 January 2003 The directives for the negotiation of a SAA with Albania were adopted. Commission President Prodi officially launches the negotiations for a SAA between the EU and Albania.June 2003 At the Thessaloniki Summit, the SAP was confirmed as the EU policy for the Western Balkans and the EU perspective for these countries was confirmed (countries participating in the SAP started to be eligible for EU accession and would join the EU once they would become ready).December 2005 The council made the 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 Albanian citizens in the EU.1 January 2008 The visa facilitation agreement entered into force.7 March 2008 EU Commissioner Franco Frattini while in Tirana opened the dialogue toward the liberalisation of the visa regime between Albania and EU.1 April 2009 The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (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. The Commission submitted the questionnaire on accession preparation to the Albanian government.14 April 2010 Albania submitted answers to the European Commission's questionnaire, but candidacy status was not granted by the EU in December 2010 due to a long-lasting political row in the country.MEMO/10/553 |-