PRIME MINISTER'S ANNOUNCEMENT
The European Commission today formalized the "Pre-Enlargement Policy Reviews", setting out the framework for internal institutional, governance and safeguard reforms that will accompany the next wave of enlargement of the European Union.
This strategic document comes after the recent visit of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to Tirana and consolidates Albania's position as one of the leading countries in the enlargement process.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the document confirms that the EU's internal reforms and the progress of candidate countries will go in parallel, foreseeing the inclusion of a specific roadmap for Albania's membership in the 2026 Enlargement Package.
The comprehensive review emphasizes that existing European Union policies do not require a complete structural redesign to include new members.
The EU is implementing the principle of "Integration by Design", including enlargement scenarios already at the design stage of future policies and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034.
This approach aims to preserve the Union's ability to act and strengthen the role of enlargement in guaranteeing European security and stability.
The document focuses on three main reform elements.
First, the revision of the Article 7 mechanism for very serious breaches of the rule of law. Instead of the current threshold of four-fifths of members for the suspension of voting rights in the Council, the European Commission proposes the application of a “reverse qualified majority” (RQMV).
Under this mechanism, the Commission's decision to impose sanctions would enter into force automatically, unless member states form the necessary majority to overturn it. The aim is to make the protection of European values more efficient and the mechanism easier to implement.
Second, the establishment of strict financial guarantees. The document proposes freezing or limiting new Union funds in cases where a member or candidate country violates the commitments undertaken or does not respect the principles of the rule of law.
Third, defining the rules for the rights of new members. Countries that join will enjoy fully equal rights with the 27 current members, including the right to have a commissioner and the right to veto decision-making.
It is envisaged, however, that new members may voluntarily commit not to use the veto on issues related to bilateral disputes in the context of enlargement, thus preventing the process from being blocked due to these disputes.
The new framework also supports the merit-based “Gradual Integration” model, which allows Albania progressive access to key EU sectors and programs before full membership.
This model envisages accelerated integration in areas such as cybersecurity, military mobility, the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and trans-European energy networks, bringing tangible economic and infrastructural benefits.
The European Commission document assesses strategic support for enlargement as an investment with benefits in relation to costs for EU citizens. It emphasizes that the rapprochement of countries that have advanced the most in the process, such as Montenegro and Albania, will contribute to strengthening security and stability through the expansion of the European market and space.
This policy review constitutes a strong political signal of the European Union's support for Albania's progress towards the strategic objective "Albania 2030".
Reforms and national consensus remain essential for membership in the European family.
Albania is fully determined to continue working with the same will and commitment to fulfill all criteria and achieve the historic mission of full membership in the European Union within this decade.
