The candidature of Albania to the European Union. The role of the European Commission

This paper addresses a topic that has been widely discussed in recent years and could have an impact in the future. The topic is Albania's accession to the European Union and its potential positive and negative effects on civil society. The paper is structured into three chapters and seventeen subchapters. Attached to it is a questionnaire of eighteen questions, which led to the creation of a case study. The first chapter is titled Political Relations between Albania and the European Union. This chapter includes aspects such as a brief history of Albania's relationship with the European Union, the Royaumont process for promoting stability and neighborhood partnership in Southeast Europe, Albania's status in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Albania's status following its NATO accession, discussions regarding the Schengen area, and the conclusions of the Zagreb Summit. The second chapter is titled Economic and Trade Relations. This chapter includes subchapters that address topics such as the European Union's relationship with Albania in its early stages, the implementation of regional agreements, external trade with the European Union, foreign direct investments in Albania, the pre-accession funds of the European Union, the International Donors Conference, preferential loans to Albania, the European Union's support for its partners in the Western Balkans in combating the coronavirus, and lastly, the current status of Albania in relation to the accession process. Finally, in the third chapter titled Potential Effects of Albania's Accession to the European Union, we will highlight that Albania's accession (referring to free movement of people, reforms in the healthcare, judicial, and educational systems) has had some positive effects according to the sample proposed in the case study, regarding the migration phenomenon among member states. We will provide specific examples and focus on the consequences of this phenomenon. To carry out this paper, we will rely on various sources, including specialized literature, the press, and websites, which will assist us in our research. For this research, we will refer to the works of Wadham Pdeacock, "Albania the Foundling State of Europe," and also to the work of Ridvan Peshkopia, "Conditioning Democratization: Institutional Reforms and EU Membership Conditionality in Albania and Macedonia." In addition to these, we will consult the legislative framework of the European Union, represented by the texts of the European treaties, which will assist us in our efforts. By using these materials, we will try to analyze the information to reach a conclusion regarding the future of Albania and the potential effects of its accession to the European Union.