Kosovo and Albania committed to the EU

Prishtina, 24 April 2020 – Today, the acting Minister of European Integration, Mr Blerim Reka, has signed the cooperation agreement between the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Kosovo for Mutual Support in the Framework of the Preparation for the Opening and Development of Accession Negotiations.

This agreement envisages the cooperation of the two countries on the exchange of experiences in the field of the European integration process, as well as in the process of negotiations for EU membership of the Republic of Albania. The same provides for the establishment of negotiating structures for membership talks; the functioning of inter-institutional working groups within the chapters of membership negotiations; as well as the exchange of information and experience regarding the process of analytical examination of the acquis (‘screening’).

Also, the main part of this agreement is the deepening of political dialogue between the two Ministries, in order to coordinate institutional attitudes in the service of the European integration process, by organizing a joint annual conference of the two Ministries on European integration issues.

In compliance with the health emergency measures set by the Governments of the two countries to prevent the pandemic of coronavirus COVID-19, this agreement is being signed at a distance, and the materials are being exchanged through diplomatic communications, but this does not diminish its purpose: the joint preparations of the two countries towards the European integration path, in accordance with our common strategic definition, that of becoming a future member of the EU.

This cooperation agreement paves the way for our European integration journey, within a bilateral inter-institutional preparatory framework with: tasks, responsible institutions, concrete deadlines and exchange of experiences and staff.

Last modified: August 4, 2022