TIRANA, May 25 – Albania and the European Union will hold tomorrow the eighth Intergovernmental Conference on accession negotiations in Brussels. The meeting focuses on advancing reforms under Cluster 1 “Fundamentals” of the negotiation process.
The conference will confirm Albania’s fulfilment of interim benchmarks. It will also define final benchmarks for the cluster, which remains central to the accession process. At the same time, it takes place alongside the EU General Affairs Council under the Cypriot Presidency.
The Albanian delegation will be led by Prime Minister Edi Rama. The EU side will be chaired by Deputy Minister for European Affairs of Cyprus Marilena Raouna. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will also take part.
In addition, the conference is scheduled to start around 19:00 in Brussels. A press conference will follow its conclusion.
Cluster 1 covers key accession chapters. It includes Chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and Chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security. It also includes democratic institutions, public administration reform, and economic criteria for membership. In addition, it covers Chapter 5 on public procurement, Chapter 18 on statistics, and Chapter 32 on financial control.
Earlier intergovernmental conferences opened all negotiation clusters. These include Fundamentals, Internal Market, Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth, Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, Resources and Cohesion, and External Relations.
The EU accession process follows the new enlargement methodology. Progress in Cluster 1 remains decisive for the overall pace of Albania’s membership path.
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