Accession of Albania to the European Union
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Accession of Albania to the European Union
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Albania applied for European Union membership on 28 April 2009. Officially recognized by the EU as a "potential candidate country", 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.
Following the steps of the recently admitted Eastern European countries in 2004, Albania has been extensively engaged with EU institutions, and joined NATO as a full member in 2009. It has also maintained its position as a stability factor and a strong ally of Western Europe in the troubled and divided region of the Balkans.[2]
Following its 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, a step in the accession process that usually takes about a year.[3] On December 16, 2009 the European Commission submitted the Questionnaire on accession preparation to the Albanian government. Albania returned answers to them on April 14, 2010.[4] Candidacy status was not recognized by the EU along with Montenegro in December 2010, due to the long-lasting political row in the country.[5]
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Contents
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Chronology of the relations with the European Union
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1992 | Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and Albania. Albania becomes eligible for funding under the EU Phare programme. |
| 1997 | Regional Approach. The EU Council of Ministers establishes political and economic conditionality for the development of bilateral relations. |
| 1999 | The EU proposes the new Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) for five countries of South-Eastern Europe, including Albania. |
| 1999 | Albania benefits from Autonomous Trade Preferences with the EU. |
| 2000 | Extension of duty-free access to EU market for products from Albania. |
| June 2000 | Feira European Council (June 2000) states that all the SAP countries are "potential candidates" for EU membership. |
| November 2000 | at Zagreb Summit (November), the SAP is officially endorsed by the EU and the Western Balkan countries (including Albania). |
| 2001 | First year of the new CARDS programme specifically designed for the SAP countries |
| June 2001 | The Commission recommends the undertaking of negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Albania. The Göteborg European Council (June 2001) invites the Commission to present draft negotiating directives for the negotiation of a SAA. |
| 2002 | Negotiating Directives for the negotiation of a SAA with Albania are adopted in October. |
| 31 January 2003 | On 31 January, Commission President Prodi officially launches the negotiations for a SAA between the EU and Albania. |
| June 2003 | at Thessaloniki Summit (June), the SAP is confirmed as the EU policy for the Western Balkans. The EU perspective for these countries is confirmed (countries participating in the SAP are eligible for EU accession and may join the EU once they are ready). |
| December 2005 | Council 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 the Albanian citizens in the EU. |
| 1 January 2008 | The visa facilitation agreement entered into force. |
| 7 March 2008 | EU Commissioner Franco Frattini opened in Tirana the dialogue toward the liberalisation of the visa regime between Albania and EU. |
| 14 January 2009 | The SAA ratification process by all the member states was completed. |
| 1 April 2009 | The 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.[3] |
| 16 December 2009 | The European Commission submitted the Questionnaire on accession preparation to the Albanian government. |
| 14 April 2010 | Albania submitted answers to the European Commission's Questionnaire.[4] |
| 27 May 2010 | The European Commission proposed visa free travel for Albania. The adopted proposal will enable citizens of Albania to travel to Schengen countries without needing a short term visa.[6] |
| 8 November 2010 | Council of the European Union approved visa-free travel to Schengen Area for Albanian citizens.[7] |
| 15 December 2010 | Visa-free access to the Schengen area enters into force. |
State of Stabilisation and Association Agreement ratification
| Event | Republic of Macedonia [8] |
Croatia [9] | Albania [10] | Montenegro1 [11] | Bosnia and Herzegovina [12] |
Serbia2 [13] | Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAA negotiations start | 2000-04-05 | 2000-11-24 | 2003-01-31 | 2005-10-10 | 2005-11-25 | 2005-10-10 | (?) |
| SAA initialled | 2000-11-24 | 2001-05-14 | 2006-02-28 | 2007-03-15 | 2007-12-04 | 2007-11-07 | (?) |
| SAA/IA signature | 2001-04-09 | 2001-10-29 | 2006-06-12 | 2007-10-15 | 2008-06-16 | 2008-04-29 | (?) |
| Interim Agreement: | |||||||
| EC ratification | 2001-04-27 | 2002-01-30 | 2006-06-12 | 2007-10-15 | 2008-06-16 | 2009-12-08 | (?) |
| SAP state ratification | 2001-04-27 | 2002-01-30 | 2006-10-09 | 2007-11-14 | 2008-06-20 | 2008-09-22 | (?) |
| entry into force | 2001-06-01 | 2002-03-01 | 2006-12-01 | 2008-01-01 | 2008-07-01 | 2010-02-01 | (?) |
| Notification of the EC of SAA ratification by: | |||||||
| SAP state | 2001-04-27 | 2002-01-30 | 2006-11-09 | 2007-11-13 | 2009-02-26 | 2008-09-22 | (?) |
| Austria | 2002-09-06 | 2002-03-15 | 2008-05-21 | 2008-07-04 | 2009-09-04 | 2011-01-13 | (?) |
| Belgium | 2003-12-29 | 2003-12-17 | 2008-10-22 | 2010-03-29 | 2010-03-29 | 2012-03-20 | (?) |
| Bulgaria | entered the EU later | 2008-05-30 | 2009-03-13 | 2010-08-12 | (?) | ||
| Cyprus | entered the EU later | 2008-05-30 | 2008-11-20 | 2009-07-02 | 2010-11-26 | (?) | |
| Czech Republic | entered the EU later | 2008-05-07 | 2009-02-19 | 2009-07-23 | 2011-01-28 | (?) | |
| Denmark | 2002-04-10 | 2002-05-08 | 2008-04-24 | 2008-06-25 | 2009-05-26 | 2011-03-04 | (?) |
| Estonia | entered the EU later | 2007-10-17 | 2007-11-22 | 2008-09-11 | 2010-08-19 | (?) | |
| Finland | 2004-01-06 | 2004-01-06 | 2007-11-29 | 2009-03-18 | 2009-04-07 | 2011-10-21 | (?) |
| France | 2003-06-04 | 2003-06-04 | 2009-02-12 | 2009-07-30 | 2011-02-10 | 2012-01-16 | (?) |
| Germany | 2002-06-20 | 2002-10-18 | 2009-02-19 | 2009-11-16 | 2009-08-14 | 2012-02-24 | (?) |
| Greece | 2003-08-27 | 2003-08-27 | 2009-02-26 | 2010-03-04 | 2010-09-20 | 2011-03-10 | (?) |
| Hungary | entered the EU later | 2007-04-23 | 2008-05-14 | 2008-10-22 | 2010-11-16 | (?) | |
| Ireland | 2002-05-06 | 2002-05-06 | 2007-06-11 | 2009-06-04 | 2009-06-04 | 2011-09-29 | (?) |
| Italy | 2003-10-30 | 2004-10-06 | 2008-01-07 | 2009-10-13 | 2010-09-08 | 2011-01-06 | (?) |
| Latvia | entered the EU later | 2006-12-19 | 2008-10-17 | 2009-11-12 | 2011-05-30 | (?) | |
| Lithuania | entered the EU later | 2007-05-17 | 2009-03-04 | 2009-05-04 | (2012) | (?) | |
| Luxembourg | 2003-07-28 | 2003-08-01 | 2007-07-04 | 2009-06-11 | 2010-12-22 | 2011-01-21 | (?) |
| Malta | entered the EU later | 2008-04-21 | 2008-12-11 | 2010-01-07 | 2010-07-06 | (?) | |
| Netherlands | 2002-09-09 | 2004-04-30 | 2007-12-10 | 2009-01-29 | 2009-09-30 | 2012-02-27 | (?) |
| Poland | entered the EU later | 2007-04-14 | 2009-02-06 | 2010-04-07 | 2012-01-13 | (?) | |
| Portugal | 2003-07-14 | 2003-07-14 | 2008-07-11 | 2008-09-23 | 2009-06-29 | 2011-03-04 | (?) |
| Romania | entered the EU later | 2009-01-15 | 2010-01-08 | (2012) | (?) | ||
| Slovakia | entered the EU later | 2007-07-20 | 2008-07-29 | 2009-03-17 | 2010-11-11 | (?) | |
| Slovenia | entered the EU later | 2007-01-18 | 2008-02-07 | 2009-03-10 | 2010-12-07 | (?) | |
| Spain | 2002-10-04 | 2002-10-04 | 2007-05-03 | 2009-03-12 | 2010-06-15 | 2010-06-21 | (?) |
| Sweden | 2002-06-25 | 2003-03-27 | 2007-03-21 | 2009-03-11 | 2009-09-14 | 2011-04-15 | (?) |
| United Kingdom | 2002-12-17 | 2004-09-03 | 2007-10-16 | 2010-01-12 | 2010-04-20 | 2011-08-11 | (?) |
| European Communities | 2004-02-25 | 2004-12-21 | 2009-02-26 | 2010-03-29 | (2012)4 | (2012) | (?) |
| SAA entry into force | 2004-04-01 | 2005-02-01 | 2009-04-01 | 2010-05-01 | (2012)4 | (2012) | (?) |
(brackets): earliest possible date
1 For Montenegro, negotiations started in November 2005 while a part of Serbia and Montenegro. Separate technical negotiations were conducted regarding issues sub-state organizational competency. Mandate for direct negotiations with Montenegro established in July 2006. Direct negotiations were initiated on 26 September 2006 and concluded on 1 December 2006.[14]
2 For Serbia, negotiations started in November 2005 (as part of SiM, modified mandate from July 2006).
3 For Kosovo, a partially recognized breakaway province of Serbia, negotiations on a Stabilisation Tracking Mechanism began in 2003 and are still ongoing. The EU is still divided on how exactly to continue the SAP with Kosovo, as some of its members remain opposed to Kosovo's independence.
4 Although ratified by all member states, the entry into force of Bosnia's SAA has been delayed due to the fact that Bosnia has yet to make the required constitutional amendments.[15]
See also
References
- ^ INSTAT of Albania (2010). "Population of Albania on January 1, 2010" (in Albanian). Institute of Statistics of Albania. http://www.instat.gov.al/graphics/doc/tabelat/Treguesit%20Sociale/Popullsia/POP%202009/t3.xls. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- ^ "INTERVIEW-Albania could apply next year to join EU". Forbes. 2008-09-11. http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/09/11/afx5414005.html. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
- ^ a b http://euobserver.com/9/29001
- ^ a b "Albania's Berisha delivers questionnaire responses to Brussels". 2010-04-15. Archived from the original on 17 May 2010. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2010/04/15/nb-07. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
- ^ MEMO/10/553: Key findings of the Opinion on Albania; Enlargement Strategy and Progress Report 2010; [1]; Balkan Insight
- ^ "European Commission proposes visa free travel for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina". 2010-05-27. Archived from the original on 1 June 2010. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/621&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina" (PDF). Council Of The European Union. 2010-11-08. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/117555.pdf. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
- ^ "SAA Agreement with Macedonia". Council of the European Union. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/accords/Default.aspx?command=details&id=297&lang=EN&aid=2001014&doclang=EN. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
- ^ "SAA Agreement with Croatia". Council of the European Union. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/accords/Default.aspx?command=details&id=297&lang=EN&aid=2001076&doclang=EN. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
- ^ "SAA Agreement with Albania". Council of the European Union. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/accords/Default.aspx?command=details&id=297&lang=EN&aid=2006040&doclang=EN. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
- ^ "SAA Agreement with Montenegro". Council of the European Union. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/accords/Default.aspx?command=details&id=297&lang=EN&aid=2007070&doclang=EN. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
- ^ "SAA Agreement with Bosnia". Council of the European Union. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/accords/Default.aspx?command=details&id=297&lang=EN&aid=2008023&doclang=EN. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
- ^ "SAA Agreement with Serbia". Council of the European Union. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/accords/Default.aspx?command=details&id=297&lang=EN&aid=2007137&doclang=EN. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
- ^ "EU, Montenegro complete negotiations on pre-membership deal to bring country closer to bloc". International Herald Tribune. The Associated Press. 2006-12-01. Archived from the original on 2008-09-25. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080925180017/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/01/europe/EU_GEN_Montenegro_EU.php. Retrieved 2011-04-04.
- ^ "Press: Bosnia-EU relations put on hold". daily.tportal.hr. 2011-04-26. http://daily.tportal.hr/124423/Press-Bosnia-EU-relations-put-on-hold.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
Further reading
- Albania and the European Union: the tumultuous journey towards integration ... By Mirela Bogdani, John Loughlin, 2007
- Delegation of the European Union to Albania
- European Commission - Enlargement: Country Profile.
- Albanian Ministry of European Integration
- Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- European Commission - Western Balkans: Enhancing the European perspective
- European Commission - Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2009-2010
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