European Council President António Costa said Albania had met interim benchmarks in the first “fundamentals” cluster of its European Union accession talks after meeting Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana.
Costa said on Tuesday that an Accession Conference held last week confirmed Albania’s progress, with EU member states recognising its commitment to moving towards membership, according to his remarks after the meeting.
He described the next stage of the process as focused on implementation and building a “solid track record.”
Costa said “continued, tangible political commitment” to the rule of law, including an independent and accountable judiciary, remained essential for EU membership.
He also urged Albania to step up efforts to tackle corruption and organised crime.
EU cooperation and next talks
The European Union was Albania’s “most reliable partner”, as well as its main investor and trading partner, Costa said.
He cited Albania’s access to the Single Euro Payments Area — a system that allows easier cross-border euro payments — and its gradual integration into the EU Single Market, including “Roam Like at Home” mobile roaming arrangements and the DiscoverEU rail pass scheme.
Costa stated that EU membership meant joining a political union “built on common values and shared strategic choices”, rather than only gaining access to the Single Market.
He said he expected to meet Rama again at the EU-Western Balkans Summit on Friday in Tivat, describing it as a chance to build on momentum in enlargement talks.
