A new scheme circulating in Brussels could give Albania an unusual role in the structures of the European Union even before it officially joins the bloc. According to the version being discussed within the European Commission, Tirana and Podgorica could appoint their own commissioners before the membership process is fully completed.
What the new plan envisages
According to announcements made public in recent days and statements by Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission is considering a new approach for countries on the path to membership, including Albania.
Belgian media outlet Rapporteur has published details according to which Albania and Montenegro could send commissioners to Brussels even before formal EU membership. If this scheme moves forward, it would be an unusual step for the way the union’s enlargement has been structured until now.
Why this formula is being pushed
Under the plan, candidate countries would be more deeply involved in European policies while member states continue their ratification procedures, which are often lengthy and remain politically complicated.
This means institutional integration could begin in part before full membership, a signal that Brussels is looking for more flexible paths to enlargement without formally abandoning the existing filters and conditions.
What role the commissioners could have
According to the document cited by the Belgian media, a commissioner from a country in the accession process could take part in the work of the College of Commissioners on relevant issues.
The same document says this possibility is considered justified during the period of entry into the union, while preserving, according to the official wording, the autonomy, collegiality and collective responsibility of the EU’s governing body.
In practice, this would give Albania a channel of influence at a preliminary stage, even though its status would still remain outside full membership.
An untested precedent
If an Albanian commissioner were to take office in Brussels before the country’s official entry into the EU, this would be the first time it has happened in the union’s history.
The European Commission has also said it aims to offer candidate countries increasingly deeper integration into the single market, in parallel with the internal reforms required for membership.
The detailed plan on the new enlargement strategy is expected to be presented in Brussels by Commissioner Marta Kos.
For now, this is a plan under consideration, not an approved decision.
What stands out is that Brussels is testing new forms of integration for candidate countries, while the classic membership process remains slow and politically sensitive.