Albania’s European Integration Perspective

On 1 December 2009, the Lisbon Treaty went into force allowing the accession of new countries by an appropriate adaptation of EU institutions. However, one should keep in mind that enlargement these days is only one of several actual political hotspots where the EU is deeply involved and challenged: the regulation of the financial sector following the global economic crisis, energy policy, climate change, migration, and recently the political unrest in the Middle East and Maghreb. In addition, enlargement fatigue in some of the core EU member countries has prompted a problematic rift between those countries and the European Commission which clearly promotes further enlargement. Another issue is the discussion on “regatta” or “convoy” approach: in the latter case the slowest vessel would determine the accession speed of all applicants. Anyhow, due to the inherent reform and transformation delays, after Croatia´s accession none of the remaining Western Balkan countries can be expected to become EU member before 2020.