Albania may mark another step in the negotiation process with the European Union, but for now this is still a date under discussion and not a decision confirmed publicly. According to diplomatic sources in the European Commission, the next intergovernmental meeting with the EU is expected to be held on October 13.
On the table: the temporary closure of Chapter 20
According to the same diplomatic sources, Albania is expected at this meeting to temporarily close Chapter 20, which is related to business and industrial policy.
If this date is formalized and the chapter is closed, it would be the fourth chapter to move forward in the negotiation process. So far, there has been no official public announcement definitively confirming the October 13 agenda.
What Albania has closed so far
On July 14, 2026, Albania temporarily closed the first three chapters of its EU accession negotiations.
These are Chapter 25 on Science and Research, Chapter 26 on Education and Culture, and Chapter 30 on External Relations.
Rama heads to Brussels amid the government’s ambitious goals
Prime Minister Edi Rama has previously presented the closure of chapters as an important development on the road toward full EU membership.
According to the goal announced by the government, the negotiations are intended to be completed by 2027, while full membership is targeted by 2030. These remain political deadlines declared by the executive in a process that also depends on the pace of reforms, Brussels’ assessments, and decision-making by member states.
What this chapter represents
Chapter 20 covers business and industrial policy, an area directly linked to economic standards and alignment with the rules of the European market.
For this very reason, every step in this chapter carries not only political but also economic weight, especially in relation to how Albanian institutions claim they are bringing legislation and public policy closer to EU requirements.
For now, October 13 remains at the level of diplomatic discussion, while final confirmation is expected to come through the official channels of the EU-Albania process.
If the meeting takes place on this schedule, it will serve as another test of the real pace of negotiations, beyond the political optimism declared by the government.