ALBANIA ROAD MAP ALBANIA ROAD MAP TO TO

EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONEUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Regional Conference on Regional Conference on ““EU PERSPECTIVE AND CURRENT STANDING OF EU PERSPECTIVE AND CURRENT STANDING OF THE COUNTRIES IN THE REGION IN THE SAP”THE COUNTRIES IN THE REGION IN THE SAP”

Belgrade, 7-8Belgrade, 7-8thth December 2005 December 2005

ALBANIA RELATIONS WITH EUALBANIA RELATIONS WITH EU

19921992: Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and : Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and Albania. Albania becomes eligible for funding under the EU Albania. Albania becomes eligible for funding under the EU Phare programme. Phare programme.

19991999: The EU proposes the new Stabilisation and Association : The EU proposes the new Stabilisation and Association process for five SEE countries, including Albania.process for five SEE countries, including Albania.

19991999: Albania benefits from Autonomous Trade Preferences with : Albania benefits from Autonomous Trade Preferences with the EU.the EU.

20012001: The Commission recommends the undertaking of : The Commission recommends the undertaking of negotiations on SAA with Albania. negotiations on SAA with Albania.

20032003: On 31 January, Commission President Prodi officially : On 31 January, Commission President Prodi officially launches the negotiations for a SAA between the EU and Albania. launches the negotiations for a SAA between the EU and Albania.

2004 (June)2004 (June): Council decision on the principles of a European : Council decision on the principles of a European Partnership for AlbaniaPartnership for Albania

CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSCONTRACTUAL RELATIONS

Trade, Commercial and Economic Co-operation Agreement, Trade, Commercial and Economic Co-operation Agreement, signed in May 1992 and entered into force on 1 December signed in May 1992 and entered into force on 1 December 1992. 1992.

On the occasion of the signature of the Trade, Commercial On the occasion of the signature of the Trade, Commercial and Economic Co-operation Agreement, a Joint EC/Albania and Economic Co-operation Agreement, a Joint EC/Albania Political Declaration was also signed.Political Declaration was also signed.

Negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement Negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) started on 31 January 2003 and are ongoing. (SAA) started on 31 January 2003 and are ongoing.

The EC/Albania readmission Agreement was negotiated The EC/Albania readmission Agreement was negotiated during 2003 and initialled on 18 December of that year. The during 2003 and initialled on 18 December of that year. The Agreement was signed in Luxembourg on 14 April 2005.Agreement was signed in Luxembourg on 14 April 2005.

INSTITUTIONS SET UP UNDER THE INSTITUTIONS SET UP UNDER THE SAPSAP

EU/Albania Joint CommitteeEU/Albania Joint Committee

Working PartiesWorking Parties in the areas of in the areas of economy and finance, economy and finance, agriculture and fisheries, infrastructure, customs and agriculture and fisheries, infrastructure, customs and taxation, reform and approximation of legislationtaxation, reform and approximation of legislation

EU/Albania Consultative Task ForceEU/Albania Consultative Task Force

EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIPEUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP

In June 2004 the European Council adopted a European In June 2004 the European Council adopted a European Partnership for Albania which: Partnership for Albania which:

identifies identifies short and medium term prioritiesshort and medium term priorities which which Albania should address, Albania should address,

serves as a checklistserves as a checklist against which to measure against which to measure progress, progress,

provides guidance for assistance under the provides guidance for assistance under the CARDS CARDS programmeprogramme..

ALBANIAN RESPONSE TO EPALBANIAN RESPONSE TO EP

In September 2004 Albania responded to the European In September 2004 Albania responded to the European Partnership by producing a Partnership by producing a national Action Plannational Action Plan with a with a timetable and details of how it intends to address the timetable and details of how it intends to address the European Partnership’s priorities. European Partnership’s priorities.

Progress in implementing these priorities is Progress in implementing these priorities is monitored monitored regularly by the European Commissionregularly by the European Commission

Overall, Overall, Albania has made some progress in Albania has made some progress in implementing the European Partnership’s short- implementing the European Partnership’s short- term prioritiesterm priorities, mainly in the adoption of new legislation , mainly in the adoption of new legislation and in the formulation of action plans.and in the formulation of action plans.

NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE APPROXIMATION OF LEGISLATION APPROXIMATION OF LEGISLATION

AND SAA IMPLEMENTATIONAND SAA IMPLEMENTATIONNPAL-SAA covers all the issues raised from the starting of NPAL-SAA covers all the issues raised from the starting of the SAp until May 2005 in the following context:the SAp until May 2005 in the following context:

Thessaloniki AgendaThessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans of June 2003 for the Western Balkans of June 2003

European PartnershipEuropean Partnership

Recommendations made by the CommissionRecommendations made by the Commission in the last in the last SAp Report and on the occasion CTF, Working Party, Joint SAp Report and on the occasion CTF, Working Party, Joint Committee meetingsCommittee meetings

Draft SAADraft SAA and negotiation positions expressed by the and negotiation positions expressed by the PartiesParties

Anticipation of requirements to be laid down in the Anticipation of requirements to be laid down in the Interim Interim AgreementAgreement on trade and trade related matters. on trade and trade related matters.

STRUCTURE OF THE NPAL-SAASTRUCTURE OF THE NPAL-SAA

The overall structure of the NPAL-SAA reflects the outline of The overall structure of the NPAL-SAA reflects the outline of the last European Partnership. the last European Partnership.

It consists of 3 Parts:It consists of 3 Parts:

Political situationPolitical situation

Economic situationEconomic situation

European standardsEuropean standards

PERIOD COVEREDPERIOD COVERED

To be consistent with the Draft SAA, the Plan covers a period To be consistent with the Draft SAA, the Plan covers a period of 10 yearsof 10 years

The time frame is organised as follows:The time frame is organised as follows:

Short termShort term: years 2005-2006: years 2005-2006

Medium termMedium term: years 2007-2008 : years 2007-2008

Long termLong term: years 2009-2014.: years 2009-2014.

UPDATING NPAL-SAAUPDATING NPAL-SAA

State Budget. State Budget.

Annual Review.Annual Review.

Regular ReportsRegular Reports by the European Commission on the by the European Commission on the Stabilisation and Association Process.Stabilisation and Association Process.

The second The second European PartnershipEuropean Partnership with Albaniawith Albania..

LAW APPROXIMATIONLAW APPROXIMATION

Draft SAA contains two categories of provisions on Draft SAA contains two categories of provisions on approximation:approximation:

The horizontal provisionsThe horizontal provisions contained in the Title VI contained in the Title VI named “Approximation of laws, law enforcement and named “Approximation of laws, law enforcement and Competition rules” and other relevant chapters such as Competition rules” and other relevant chapters such as “General Principles” which can be qualified as “General Principles” which can be qualified as lex lex generalisgeneralis;;

Vertical rulesVertical rules scattered in the various provisions scattered in the various provisions named “Co-operation policies” which can be qualified named “Co-operation policies” which can be qualified as as lex specialis. lex specialis.

SAA-LAW APPROXIMATIONSAA-LAW APPROXIMATION

According to the Draft SAA approximation has to undergo two According to the Draft SAA approximation has to undergo two phases:phases:

starting from the date of the signing of the agreement starting from the date of the signing of the agreement the the first stage of the approximation will be focused on the first stage of the approximation will be focused on the main elements of the main elements of the acquis acquis of the internal marketof the internal market as as well as on other important areas such as well as on other important areas such as competition, competition, intellectual industrial and commercial property rights, intellectual industrial and commercial property rights, public procurements, standards and certification, financial public procurements, standards and certification, financial services, land and maritime transport - with special services, land and maritime transport - with special emphasize on safety and environmental standards as well emphasize on safety and environmental standards as well as social aspects – company law, accounting, consumer as social aspects – company law, accounting, consumer protection, data protection, health and safety at work and protection, data protection, health and safety at work and equal opportunitiesequal opportunities;;

during the second stageduring the second stage of the transitory period of the of the transitory period of the association, association, approximation will be extended to the approximation will be extended to the remaining parts of remaining parts of acquisacquis..

WORK FOR THE ALIGNMENT OF WORK FOR THE ALIGNMENT OF LEGISLATIONLEGISLATION

MoEI input has been in several MoEI input has been in several special working groupsspecial working groups focused on specific areas of law such as: focused on specific areas of law such as: intellectual and intellectual and industrial property, free movement of capitals, competition industrial property, free movement of capitals, competition and consumer protection, public procurement, social policy and consumer protection, public procurement, social policy and action, standards and certificationand action, standards and certification..

Many pieces of the domestic legislationMany pieces of the domestic legislation in the fields of in the fields of environment, agriculture, competition and state aid, environment, agriculture, competition and state aid, intellectual and industrial property, consumer protection, intellectual and industrial property, consumer protection, public procurement, standards and certification for industrial public procurement, standards and certification for industrial productsproducts are partly or fully aligned with are partly or fully aligned with acquis acquis communautairecommunautaire. .

PREPARATORY WORKPREPARATORY WORK

MoEI has completed a documentary package providing a MoEI has completed a documentary package providing a vision for the approximation of legislation, which includes:vision for the approximation of legislation, which includes:

the professional translation of the the professional translation of the White PaperWhite Paper

the the methodology of approximationmethodology of approximation

glossaryglossary with legal terms regarding EU with legal terms regarding EU

the the manualmanual on the use of the community legislation; on the use of the community legislation;

the the inventory of the Albanian legislationinventory of the Albanian legislation which is in which is in force and which will be gradually aligned with the force and which will be gradually aligned with the acquisacquis. .

INSTRUMENTS OF LAW INSTRUMENTS OF LAW APPROXIMATIONAPPROXIMATION

MoEI has drafted a MoEI has drafted a Decision on Instruments of Decision on Instruments of approximation of the domestic legislation with the approximation of the domestic legislation with the acquis acquis communautairecommunautaire. .

line ministries and other central institutions are required, line ministries and other central institutions are required, when preparing normative acts, to submit a when preparing normative acts, to submit a Explanatory Explanatory Memorandum and Table of ConcordanceMemorandum and Table of Concordance of legislative of legislative provisions with the relevant EU provisions. provisions with the relevant EU provisions.

Both of these instruments and the draft proposals are to be Both of these instruments and the draft proposals are to be forwarded to the Ministry of European Integration for forwarded to the Ministry of European Integration for verification and approvalverification and approval. .

If a draft normative act has not been submitted together If a draft normative act has not been submitted together with both instruments, it will be with both instruments, it will be returned to the expert returned to the expert body for revisionbody for revision and will not undergo further procedure. and will not undergo further procedure.

Community AssistanceCommunity Assistance

1991 - 2004 community assistance to Albania has totalled 1991 - 2004 community assistance to Albania has totalled about EUR 1.2 billion, of which about EUR 635 million was about EUR 1.2 billion, of which about EUR 635 million was delivered through the Phare Programme.delivered through the Phare Programme.

The support provided through CARDS in 2005 is mainly The support provided through CARDS in 2005 is mainly focused on European Partnership Priorities, amounting to focused on European Partnership Priorities, amounting to EUR 44.2 million.EUR 44.2 million.

Four main areas of support are: Four main areas of support are: Democratic StabilisationDemocratic Stabilisation; ; Good Governance and institutional buildingGood Governance and institutional building; ; Economic and Economic and social development; Opening of Community Programmes.social development; Opening of Community Programmes.