ALBANIA Treading the European Path

1. REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA MINISTRY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION ALBANIA Treading the European Path Regional Conference “Through Cooperation towards Integration” Montenegro, 07-10 October 2007

2. MAIN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS • On 12th of June 2006 Albania signed the SAA between EU and its Member States • On 30th of July 2006 The Albanian Parliament ratified the SAA and the Interim Agreement • On 7th of September 2006 the European Parliament ratified the SAA • The ratification procedures have already started in the Member States

3. Trade liberalization On 22 of July 2007, Albania started the implementation of the Single Free Trade Agreement CEFTA 2006. 5 countries, Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Moldova and Kosovo had deposited the instrument of ratification of the Agreement. By 22 August 2007, the agreement is in force for Croatia, as well. To Albania the CEFTA Agreement 2006 is not a simple transposition of the 8 (eight) existing free trade agreements, but a long bilateral and multilateral process. During this process, Albania has renegotiated (reviewed) bilateral relations with Croatia and UNMIK/Kosovo and has negotiated direct relations with Montenegro. This is a way for deepening the dialogue and regional cooperation, good neighborhood relations and stability promotion

4. Challenges ahead - Albania membership in the Union requires to meet the Copenhagen Criteria. The existence of a functioning market economy, and the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union. -The revised European Partnership, setting out priorities that Albania should address in the short- and medium-term. Albania adopted in September 2007 the National Plan to implement the European Partnership priorities and the SAA obligations and Interim Agreement. -Approximation of legislation with acquis as stipulated in Article 70 of the SAA • Community assistance • Strengthen capacities to better conduct the programming process and the monitoring of project implementation; • Better coordination with member states and IFIs; • Completion of the decentralization process

5. Implementing instrumentNational Plan for the Implementation of the SAA (NPISAA)- strategic Plan Adopted by the CoM Decision no. 577, dated 05.09.2007 “On Approving the National Plan for the Implementation of the SAA” Basic document for reporting on the accomplishment of the Albanian obligations in the framework of the European Integration Process in the short/medium/long term period. This plan makes an attempt to cost the European integration process, which is necessary for budgetary forecasting. It also broadly schedules reform and capacity-building steps and defines institutional responsibility and its pace towards European Integration. The Plan consists of three main chapters: Political criteria, Economic criteria and the ability to meet the obligations of EU membership Basic reference for designing governmental initiatives on public administration reform and training strategy A “guide” for prioritizing and allocating the resources in order to create an administration capable of copping with Integration commitments

6. Monitoring instruments Progres Reports on Implementation of National Plan On Monthly and Quarterly bases • Line Ministries and other institutions report on the progress of implementation of the NPISAA, in terms of legal initiatives and implementing activities. • Updated information on the new requirements of the process. • Every three months MoI prepares the quarterly progress reports on the bases of monthly reports of Line Ministries and institutions. .

7. Role of the Ministry of Integration and Line Ministries The CoM Decision stipulates the following: • Ministry of Integration: • coordinates and monitors the implementation of the National Plan • reports to the Council of Ministers on the progress concerning the Implementation of the National Plan • Line Ministries & other State Institutions: (European Integration Units) • report to MoI at the beginning of each month on the implementation of their commitments as foreseen in the Plan. • Ministry of Finance: • Insures the reflection of the financial needs deriving from the National Plan to the MTBP and the yearly budget.

8. Content of the National Plan Annexes of the National Plan, as an integral part of it, identify: • (i) legal initiatives to be undertaken in accordance with the obligations laid down in the SAA and the European Partnership. • (ii) costs of translation and Preparation of Legislation • (iii) capacity building; • (iv) training needs in each institution and field; • (v) assessment of funds needed in infrastructure, IT and expertise; • (vi) list of implementing activities to be carried out in line with the obligations deriving from the SAA and the European Partnership.

9. Preparatory Work in Law Approximation MoI has completed a documentary package providing the vision for the approximation of legislation, which includes: • the professional translation of the White Paper • the methodology of approximation • glossary with legal terms regarding EU • manual on the use of community legislation; • screening of the Albanian legislation which is in force and which will be gradually aligned with the acquis.

10. INSTRUMENTS OF LAW APPROXIMATION Council of Ministers has adopted a Decision on Instruments of approximation of the domestic legislation with the acquis communautaire. • line ministries and other central institutions are required, when preparing normative acts, to submit a Explanatory Memorandum and Table of Concordance of legislative provisions with the relevant EU provisions. • Both of these instruments and the draft proposals are to be forwarded to the Ministry of European Integration for verification and approval. • If a draft normative act has not been submitted together with both instruments, it will be returned to the expert body for revision and will not undergo further procedure.

11. Structure of the Ministry of European Integration

12. Commitments • Albania is committed to contribute by all means to the political, economic and institutional stabilisation through the development of civil society and democratisation, institution building and public administration reform, regional trade integration and enhanced economic cooperation, as well as through cooperation in a wide range of areas, particularly in justice and home affairs, and the strengthening of national and regional security. • Albania is committed to create a new climate for economic relations above all, for the development of trade and investment, factors crucial to economic restructuring and modernisation; in regional cooperation and the development of good neighbourly relations

13. Cross Border Cooperation The development of regional co-operation corresponds to a commitment made by the countries of the region at the EU–Western Balkans Summits of Zagreb (2000) and Thessaloniki (2003). At the EU-Western Balkans Summit of Thessaloniki (June 2003) it was noted that, "rapprochement with the EU will go hand in hand with the development of regional co-operation". Regional co-operation is a principle of the highest importance for the political stability, the security and economic development of the Western Balkan countries. Many of the challenges facing the Western Balkan countries are not only common to them but also have a cross‑border dimension, which involves their regional neighbors

14. Cross Border Cooperation • Albania takes part in two Cross Border Cooperation Programmes, whose strategic documents are based on a joint strategic planning effort between the two countries and is also the result of a large consultation process with the local stakeholders and potential beneficiaries. • The objective of the cross-border programmes are to promote good neighbourly relations, foster stability, security and prosperity, which is in the mutual interest of both countries, and encourage their harmonious, balanced and sustainable development.

15. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY The Ministry of Integration has made communication one of the strategic objective fully recognising it as a policy. A renewed commitment to communication with Albanian’s citizens is of vital importance to support the integration and association process to the European Union . The success of the integration process is strictly linked to an effective communication action plan that involves Albanian citizens and all key players. In particularly politicians and institutional stakeholders at all level have to gain trust through good policies and good communication about this integration process to Europe. Following this background the Ministry of Integration has decided to adopt a specific action plan to improve communication about the European integration process

16. Effective use of IPA funds IPA 2007: Planning of IPA 2007 started on end October 2006 of and the project fishes were submitted to the EC on beginning of March 2007. IPA committee approved IPA 2007 on July 2007 EC recomandation was adopted on September 2007 Framework Agreement to be signed and ratified Pecularity of IPA 2007 for Albania is that it included thecomponent of regional development under the capacity building component

17. IPA 2007 projects • Political requirements (16.5 million) • Support for PAMECA • TA to the CFCU • Implementation of the predention system • Economic and social requirements (9.5 million) • Contribution to multibeneficiary programs • Support to INSTAT • Support SME policies • European Standards (28.3 million) • Rehabilitation of water and sewerage system • Customs and Taxation Support

18. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!