The European Union in Albania has officially launched the EU Integration Support Project (EUIS), a €7.2 million initiative designed to assist the Albanian government in advancing its EU accession negotiations. This support aligns with Albania’s ambitious goal, outlined in its National Plan for European Integration, to close accession negotiations by 2027.

The project will provide targeted assistance to the negotiating structures, and all public institutions involved in the EU accession process. Through the expertise of local and international experts, the EU will support Albania in coordinating the negotiation process and harmonising national legislation with EU legislation across all 35 negotiation chapters.

This comprehensive programme will also help Albania in accelerating the integration into the EU, which means supporting the country to seize all available pre-accession opportunities, such as participation in EU programmes and structures. Strategic training programmes will be developed to strengthen the capabilities of public administration, not only to be able to advance the accession process successfully but also to make sure Albanian institutions are fully prepared to take on the responsibilities of EU membership. Furthermore, the government will benefit from dedicated expertise to implement the Growth Plan and the related Reform Agenda it has adopted.

On this occasion, EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato reaffirmed the EU’s strong commitment to Albania’s integration: “The EU perspective for Albania has never been more real. Following the opening of two clusters of negotiations with the EU last year, and as the country aims to open all clusters by the end of this year, the work on reforms must accelerate significantly. The EU is ready to support Albania’s ambitious plans, including through this dedicated project. Together with our EU Member States, we will do our utmost to assist Albania in not only finalising the accession process but also preparing for the responsibilities and benefits of EU membership.”

Minister of State and Chief Negotiator Majlinda Dhuka stated: “Albania has made significant strides on its EU integration path. Since being granted EU candidate status in 2014, Albania has worked tirelessly to align its policies, institutions, and practices with EU standards. Today Albania is on a clear path towards full EU membership, with a goal of completing all the main reforms by 2027 and joining European Union within this decade. As we move forward, we appreciate EU support in this key momentum for the process. Together, we can ensure that Albania not only meets the necessary standards but accelerates its progress toward the EU membership”.

Supporting Public Awareness and Communication About The EU

Recent opinion polls commissioned by the EU Delegation to Albania indicate that 97 percent of Albanian citizens support the country’s EU accession. However, these surveys also highlight limited public awareness of the accession process and the specific EU-funded projects already underway in Albania.

To address this, the EU in Albania and the Albanian government, through the EUIS project, will strengthen communication and transparency between the government and non-state actors, including civil society, academia, businesses, youth, and citizens. Joint outreach efforts by will aim to explain the negotiation process, as well as the impact of EU accession.

A key focus will also be on raising awareness of the Growth Plan, which could bring nearly €1 billion to Albania in grants and infrastructure investments. This Plan is designed to reduce the socio-economic gap between Albania and EU Member States by driving modernisation and digitalisation, strengthening Albania’s economy and rule of law, and enhancing its competitiveness. These efforts aim to prepare Albania to integrate fully into both regional and European single markets, creating more jobs and providing better education and training opportunities for citizens.

This initiative builds on the success of previous EU support programmes, which played a critical role in completing Albania’s screening process and opening negotiations.