Albania could be included in a new European Union scheme for gradual access to the single market, but without automatic guarantees and without bypassing the union’s political filters. According to the European Commission draft, the initiative affects nine candidate countries and is directly linked to the actual pace of reforms in each state.
A new proposal for candidate countries
The European Commission has proposed the creation of a common market for nine countries that are candidates for EU membership, including Albania. The document is part of the proposed changes to enlargement policy and is expected to be approved or published on October 6, after the week-long meeting of the Commission College in Strasbourg.
According to the version presented, the common market is regarded by Brussels as one of the main instruments for promoting prosperity and the economic convergence of candidate countries with the union. However, this remains an initiative at the political stage and not a right granted in advance to countries seeking membership.
What access to the single market means
The EU single market is the area in which goods, services, people and capital circulate freely. Until now, full access has been possible only after formal membership in the union.
The new proposal aims to open gradual opportunities even before membership, but only if concrete conditions are met. This means that Albania and the other countries will not automatically receive the benefits of the single market simply because they hold candidate status.
Nothing takes effect without the approval of member states
Even if the European Commission moves forward with this line, its implementation requires formal approval and agreement from all EU member states. This makes the process not only technical, but deeply political, with a number of filters that could slow down or limit the initiative.
The document is expected to serve as the basis for strategic discussions by European leaders at the October 15-16 summit in Brussels, where the enlargement of the union will be one of the central topics.
Albania among 9 countries, but on condition of reforms
The list of countries included consists of Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine. According to the draft, access to the single market is clearly linked to each country’s concrete progress in the reform process.
The document states that “comparable progress should lead to comparable opportunities,” while existing instruments are expected to be gradually expanded depending on the actual readiness of each state. The draft also mentions safeguard mechanisms against backsliding on reforms, implying that the benefits gained may not be irreversible.
For Albania, the initiative sounds like a possible step toward economic convergence with the EU, but not like an open door without conditions. The core of the proposal remains the same: every step forward will depend on reforms, Brussels’ assessment and the political will of the member states.