Albania is entering the final stage of EU accession talks, with the fourth cluster of chapters set to open in the coming days. The move comes just before the Polish Presidency of the EU ends. This cluster includes chapters on the Internal Market and the Green Agenda.

The Albanian government, working closely with the EU, aims to complete the process by July. If successful, Albania will set a record for the fastest chapter-opening phase in EU history. The country began talks on October 15, 2024, in Luxembourg. Now, it plans to wrap up all cluster openings within nine months.

From July 1, Denmark will take over the rotating EU Presidency.

Albania stands ready to open the final five chapters. Its negotiating team will request to close this stage of talks next month. After that, around 1,500 Albanian experts will start the alignment of national laws with EU standards. This phase should finish by 2027. Full membership may follow in 2030, after approval from all EU member states.

Timeline of Chapter Openings:

– October 15, 2024 – Fundamentals (5 chapters)

– December 17, 2024 – Foreign Policy and Security (2 chapters)

– April 14, 2025 – Free Movement of Goods and Services (9 chapters)

– May 22, 2025 – Digitalization, Taxation, Education, Industry (8 chapters)

– June 2025 – Green Agenda, Energy, Climate, Public Finances (4 chapters)

– July 2025 – Expected opening of final 5 chapters

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