Second Accession Conference with Albania, 15 October 2024

Main results

The second meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania at ministerial level was held today in Luxembourg.

The meeting served to open negotiations with Albania on Cluster 1: Fundamentals, including the following areas and negotiating chapters:

• Functioning of democratic institutions
• Public administration reform
• Chapter 23 – Judiciary and fundamental rights
• Chapter 24 – Justice, freedom and security
• Economic criteria
• Chapter 5 – Public procurement
• Chapter 18 – Statistics
• Chapter 32 – Financial control

The European Union delegation was led by Mr Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on behalf of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the participation of Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi. The Albanian delegation was led by Mr Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania.

Albania is performing well in the accession process, and with the opening of the first, fundamental chapters in the EU accession negotiations, the country has reached another important milestone in its enlargement efforts. One of the key priorities of the Hungarian Presidency is to advance EU enlargement, as the European Union requires renewed momentum, fresh energy, and new perspectives, which the Western Balkans can provide. I look forward to Albania's continued progress on its path to EU membership.

Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on behalf of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

• Second meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania at ministerial level (press release, 15 October 2024)
• EU common position on Cluster 1: Fundamentals
• Albania (background information)
• EU enlargement policy (background information)