EU opens accession negotiations with Albania on green and sustainable connectivity policies

The European Union and Albania have officially opened accession negotiations on Cluster 4: Green agenda and sustainable connectivity. This cluster covers key policy areas essential for sustainable development and integration with the EU. The opening took place at the sixth meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, held in Brussels. The EU delegation was led by Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs of Denmark, on behalf of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, with the participation of European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos. Albania was represented by Prime Minister Edi Rama. Negotiations under Cluster 4 include the following chapters:

• Chapter 14– Transport policy
• Chapter 15– Energy
• Chapter 21– Trans-European networks
• Chapter 27– Environment and climate change

“Enlargement is at the top of our priorities as a geopolitical necessity for the EU. I am happy that we took a next step today with Albania. This is another clear proof of the country’s path towards European integration. I look forward to holding more meetings in the coming months with Albania and with other candidate countries to move forward the EU’s enlargement.”, said Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs of Denmark This step follows the opening of other negotiation clusters on ‘Fundamentals’, ‘External Relations’, ‘Internal Market’, and Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth’ in 2024 and 2025. Progress will continue to be closely monitored, with benchmarks set for the provisional closure of each chapter.   Background Following the introduction of the revised methodology for the accession negotiations in 2020, negotiating chapters are divided in 6 thematic clusters:

• Fundamentals
• Internal market
• Competitiveness and inclusive growth
• Green agenda and sustainable connectivity
• Resources, agriculture and cohesion
• External relations

Negotiations on the Fundamentals cluster are the first to be opened and the last to be closed, and progress under this cluster will determine the overall pace of negotiations. EU common position on Cluster 4 : Green agenda and sustainable connectivity EU common position on Cluster 3 : Competitiveness and inclusive growth  EU common position on Cluster 2 : Internal market  EU common position on Cluster 6: External relations  First meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 19 July 2022 Second meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 15 October 2024 Third meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 17 December 2024 Fourth meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 14 April 2025 Fifth meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 22 May 2025 Albania (background information)