European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has praised Albania’s progress in implementing key reforms but urged continued efforts to meet the target of concluding accession negotiations by the end of 2027.

Kos presented the European Union’s 2026 Enlargement Package at an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels. The annual package assesses reform progress in candidate countries and sets priorities for the coming period.

She said Albania had made progress in implementing key reforms and had provisionally closed 4 negotiating chapters after meeting interim benchmarks in fundamental areas. Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine had also advanced in their accession negotiations.

However, Kos stressed the need for continued progress in key areas, including the rule of law, judicial independence, media freedom, fundamental rights and environmental protection. She said meaningful involvement across society was essential to sustaining the legislative process.

Kos added that reforms mattered not only for European Union membership but also for Albanian society and citizens’ daily live.

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