What changes with the candidate status?

For the European Commission, the decision is considered an important political signal for Albania, which shows that our country is going towards another phase in the European integration process, and it increases the relations between Tirana and Brussels.

Albania will be invited in all open meetings of the EU Council for candidate countries. Tirana will have an easier approach and cooperation with the European agencies, where it will have an observatory role, and will be able to establish joint committees with the Committee of Regions, or with the Economic and Social Committee.

As for the economic aspect, the candidate status might bring more foreign investments and more employment, while our country will be able to benefit from the pre-membership funds and the EU programs.

Albania enjoyed the status “potentially candidate” since 2003, when the Thesaloniki summit was held. The informal request for the EU membership was handed over in April 2009, in Prague, although the Czech Presidency of the EU and the European Commission advised the country to hold free and fair elections first.

In the Commission’s opinion one year later, it was decided that before starting the negotiations, Albania had to deliver 12 membership criteria.

After the general elections of June, which brought a power rotation, the European Commission recommended the candidate status in October 2013, which was reinforced early this month.

The reforms consist of stable reforms in the judiciary, administration, fight against organized crime and corruption, and other basic rights, which remain key for Tirana before starting the negotiations, as decided by the European Union Council in December.

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