EU and Albania say accession goal is in sight

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Albania has made “remarkable progress” in its bid to join the European Union, pointing to 213 million euro in EU funds already paid under the Growth Plan and more payments expected in the coming weeks. She made the remarks in Tirana on 30 September 2026 alongside Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Von der Leyen said Albania is “among the frontrunners” in the accession process. She said the country has opened the final cluster of negotiating chapters and closed its first three chapters in July, including external relations.

She said that closing the external relations chapter means Albania is fully aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy. She added that more reforms are still needed across open chapters, including justice, the electoral framework and environmental protection, and said those reforms must also be implemented thoroughly.

On the Growth Plan, von der Leyen said the EU brings more investment to Albania while opening parts of the single market as Albania prepares to join. She said Albania has completed over 80% of the reform steps attached to the plan.

Von der Leyen said Albania has joined SEPA, the Single European Payment Area, and said the system could save Western Balkan companies around 500 million euro a year. She also said transaction fees in Albania have already fallen by more than 90%.

She said the EU is also working to reduce roaming charges and told Rama she would return on the day roaming surcharges are abolished in Albania if negotiations with the EU and companies are successful. She also said Albania hosted a first Western Balkan investment conference last year that mobilised 4 billion euro in new deals for the region, and that a second edition is due in November.

Looking ahead, von der Leyen said the European Commission will present pre-enlargement policy reviews next week and set out roadmaps for its most advanced candidates, including Albania. She said the roadmaps will set out what remains to be done, by when and what progress should follow.

She also said 63 schools were rebuilt or refurbished with EU support under the EU4Schools programme after the 2019 earthquake in Albania, and said she will visit Emin Duraku school on 1 October 2026.