22nd EU–Albania SAPC Meeting in Tirana; Balla: Our Clear Ambition Is Full EU Membership by 2030

Albania aims to conclude EU accession negotiations by Christmas 2027 and become a full member by 2030.

The target was announced by Socialist Parliamentary Group leader Taulant Balla during the opening of the 22nd meeting of the EU–Albania Parliamentary Stabilization and Association Committee (SAPC), underway in Tirana on September 21–22.

Balla emphasized that Albania has completed the opening of all negotiation cluster-chapters and has now entered the phase of closing them.

“This meeting takes place at an important moment. The accession process has entered a new phase: Albania has completed the opening of all cluster-chapters and has entered the phase of closing chapters. Our ambition is clear: to conclude negotiations by Christmas 2027, with the goal of Albania’s full EU membership by 2030. This is a commitment that requires a high pace of work, institutional responsibility, quality reforms and measurable results. The focus must shift from the adopted law to the implemented law. This phase requires more work, responsibility, lasting results,” Balla said.

The SAPC meeting takes place within the parliamentary cooperation mechanism between Albania and the European Union and follows the 21st meeting, held on July 8–9 in Strasbourg.

The two-day meeting will also be attended by MEPs of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, Chiara Gemma and Cristian Terheș. Gemma is vice-chair of the European Parliament’s delegation to the EU–Albania Parliamentary Stabilization and Association Committee.

The meeting’s proceedings will be chaired by the delegations’ co-chairs, Taulant Balla, as head of the Albanian Parliament’s delegation, and Marco Tarquinio, head of the European Parliament’s delegation.