Proposal for a Council Decision on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the European Partnership with Albania and repealing Decision 2006/54/EC
Date: 2007-11-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Albania, EU aid, accession criteria, accession to the European Union, association agreement (EU), cooperation agreement (EU)

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 6.11.2007 
COM(2007) 656 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the European Partnership with 
Albania and repealing Decision 2006/54/EC 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The  Thessaloniki  European  Council  of  19  and  20  June  2003  endorsed  the  "Thessaloniki 
Agenda for the Western Balkans", which introduced the European Partnerships as a means of 
realising the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries. 

On 30 January 2006 the Council adopted the revised European Partnership for Albania, based 
on  the  Commission's  proposal  presented  on  9  November  2005.  The  partnerships  contain 
short–term  and  medium–term  priorities.  The  countries  are  expected  to  fulfil  the  short–term 
priorities in one to two years.  

Therefore  the  Commission  considers  it  appropriate  to  present  a  proposal  for  an  updated 
European  Partnership  for  Albania.  This  renewed  European  Partnership  is  based  on  the 
provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 of 22 March 2004 and takes into account 
the new developments as described in the 2007 Progress Report. It lists short- and medium-
term priorities for the country’s preparations for further integration with the European Union.  

In order to respond to the European Partnership, the competent authorities in Albania should 
develop  a  plan  with  a  timetable  and  specified  measures  Albania  intends  to  take  to  this  end. 
The Commission will monitor progress in implementing the priorities regularly. 

The European Partnership priorities form the basis for programming the financial assistance 
of the Community, which will continue to be provided under relevant financial instruments, in 
particular Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 of 17 July 2006 establishing the Instrument 
for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). 

The  proposed  Council  Decision  has  no  financial  implications.  In  view  of  the  above,  the 
Commission invites the Council to adopt the attached proposal for a Council Decision. 

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the European Partnership with 
Albania and repealing Decision 2006/54/EC 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having  regard  to  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  533/2004  of  22  March  2004  on  the 
establishment of partnerships in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process1, 
as amended, and in particular Article 2 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

1 

2 

3 

The Thessaloniki European Council of 19 and 20 June 2003 endorsed the introduction 
of the European Partnerships as a means to materialise the European perspective of the 
Western Balkan countries. 

Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 provides that the Council is to decide on the principles, 
priorities and conditions to be contained in the partnerships, as well as any subsequent 
adjustments.  It  states  also  that  the  follow-up  to  the  European  Partnerships  will  be 
ensured  through  the  mechanisms  established  under  the  Stabilisation  and  Association 
Process, notably by the annual progress reports. 

On  30  January  2006  the  Council  adopted  the  second  European  Partnership  with 
Albania2. 

The  Commission's  Paper  on  enlargement  strategy  and  main  challenges  2006–2007 
indicated that the partnerships would be updated at the end of 2007. 

On 12 June 2006 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an 
Instrument  for  Pre-accession  Assistance  (IPA)3,  which  renews  the  framework  for 
financial assistance to pre-accession countries. 

OJ L 86, 24.3.2004, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 269/2006 (OJ L 47, 17.2.2006, 
p. 7). 
Council Decision 2006/54/EC of 30 January 2006 on the principles, priorities and conditions contained 
in  the  European  Partnership  with  Albania  and  repealing  Decision  2004/519/EC  (OJ  L  35,  7.2.2006, 
p. 32). 
OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 82. 

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(6) 

(7) 

It is therefore appropriate to adopt a revised European Partnership which updates the 
current partnership in order to identify renewed priorities for further work, on the basis 
of  the  findings  of  the  2007  Progress  Report  on  Albania's  preparations  for  further 
integration with the European Union. 

In  order  to  prepare  for  further  integration  with  the  European  Union,  the  competent 
authorities in Albania should develop a plan with a timetable and specific measures to 
address the priorities of this European Partnership. 

(8) 

Decision 2006/54/EC should therefore be repealed, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

The principles, priorities and conditions in the European Partnership with Albania are set out 
in the Annex. 

Article 2 

The implementation of the European Partnership shall be examined through the mechanisms 
established under the stabilisation and association process, notably the annual progress reports 
presented by the Commission. 

Decision 2006/54/EC shall be repealed. 

Article 3 

Article 4 

This  Decision  shall  take  effect  on  the  third  day  following  its  publication  in  the  Official 
Journal of the European Union. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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ANNEX: ALBANIA 2007 EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The European Council endorsed the introduction of the European Partnerships as a means to 
realise  the  European  perspective  of  the  Western  Balkan  countries.  The  proposed  revised 
partnership  updates  the  second  one,  on  the  basis  of  the  findings  of  the  2007  Commission 
Progress  Report  on  Albania.  It  identifies  new  and  remaining  priorities  for  action.  The  new 
priorities  are  adapted  to  the  country’s  specific  needs  and  stage  of  preparation  and  will  be 
updated as necessary. Albania is expected to develop a plan including a timetable and specific 
measures  intended  to  address  the  European  Partnership  priorities.  The  partnership  also 
provides guidance for financial assistance to the country. 

2. 

PRINCIPLES 

The Stabilisation and Association Process remains the framework for the European course of 
the Western Balkan countries, all the way to their future accession.  The priorities identified 
for  Albania  relate  to  its  capacity  to  meet  the  criteria  defined  by  the  Copenhagen  European 
Council of 1993 and the conditions set by the Stabilisation and Association Process, notably 
the conditions defined by the Council in its conclusions of 29 April 1997 and 21 and 22 June 
1999, the final declaration of the Zagreb Summit of 24 November 2000 and the Thessaloniki 
Agenda. 

3. 

PRIORITIES 

The  priorities  listed  in  this  European  Partnership  have  been  selected  on  the  basis  that  it  is 
realistic to expect that Albania can complete them or take them substantially forward over the 
next few years. A distinction is made between short-term priorities, which are expected to be 
accomplished within one to two years, and medium-term priorities, which are expected to be 
accomplished  within  three  to  four  years.  The  priorities  concern  both  legislation  and  its 
implementation. 

In  view  of  the  need  to  set  priorities,  clearly  there  are  other  tasks  for  Albania  to  complete 
which  may  become  priorities  in  any  future  partnership,  also  taking  into  account  future 
progress made by Albania. 

Among the short-term priorities, the key ones have been identified and grouped together at the 
beginning  of  the  list.  The  order  of  these  key  priorities  does  not  imply  a  ranking  of  their 
importance. 

3.1. Short-term priorities 

Key priorities 

–  Strengthen  administrative  capacity  in  preparation  for  implementing  Stabilisation  and 

Association Agreement (SAA) and Interim Agreement (IA) commitments. 

–  Promote  constructive  dialogue  between  political  parties  and  with  stakeholders  on  the 

implementation of reforms. 

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–  Increase  the  independence  and  transparency  of  the  justice  system,  including  by  fostering 
the constitutional protection of judges, appointing  judges and prosecutors on  the basis of 
competitive examinations, establishing merit-based performance evaluation for prosecutors 
and setting objective rules for allocation of cases to judges. 

–  Implement  the  2007-2013  anti-corruption  strategy  and  the  recommendations  made  in  the 
2005 evaluation report by the Council of Europe Group of States Against Corruption and 
investigate  and  prosecute  cases  of  corruption  in  the  police  and  the  judiciary  with  due 
vigour. 

–  Implement  the  recommendations  made  by  the  OSCE  Office  for  Democratic  Institutions 
and Human Rights on elections, in particular by improving voters' lists and amending the 
electoral code in line with the Venice Commission recommendations, in good time for the 
next parliamentary elections. 

–  Further  strengthen  public-sector  governance  by  improving  the  quality  and  impartiality  of 
public administration staff and strengthening the Department of Public Administration. 

–  Complete  the  unbundling  of  the  state  electricity  company  KESH,  and  privatise  its 
distribution  arm.  Stabilise  KESH's  financial  position  by  raising  collection  rates  and 
increase  electricity  generation  and 
levels  and 
bringing  prices 
interconnection capacity. 

to  cost-recovery 

–  Achieve  further  tangible  results  in  the  fight  against  organised  crime,  in  particular  by 

making full use of intelligence-led policing and ensuring effective judicial follow-up. 

Political criteria 

Democracy and the rule of law 

Government 

–  Adopt the national strategy for development and integration in time to inform the 2008/ 9 
budget  process,  ensuring  it  reflects  European  integration  commitments  and  is  adequately 
costed, and begin to implement it. 

–  Make full and effective use of the integrated planning system to strengthen links between 

policy objectives and budget planning and execution. 

–  Improve  government-wide  coordination  of  EU  integration  work  by  means  of  wider  and 
more  consistent  consultation  of  ministries,  including  stakeholders  and  EU  experts  on 
related legislation. 

–  Ensure  the  availability  of  appropriate  equipment  and  trained  staff  for  the  Ministry  of 

European Integration and for line ministries' EU integration offices. 

–  Ensure that improvement of the civil registry and address system is properly coordinated 

with the introduction of electronic identity cards and biometric passports. 

Public administration 

–  Ensure enforcement of the Civil Service Law and related rules in the public administration. 

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–  Ensure that recruitment, appointments, promotion, transfers and dismissals are conducted 
according to the established rules in order to build an accountable, efficient civil service, 
based on professional career development criteria. 

Judicial system 

–  Finalise,  adopt  and  implement  the  draft  law  on  judicial  reform  and  improve  the 

infrastructure for the judicial sector. 

–  Improve coordination between prosecutors and police, in particular by means of the case 

management system. 

–  Ensure  that  the  appropriate  legislation  and  resources  are  in  place  for  adequate  witness 

protection. 

Anti-corruption policy 

–  Harmonise  the  civil,  commercial  and  administrative  Codes  with  the  Council  of  Europe 

Civil Law Convention on Corruption.  

–  Strengthen the institutional capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption. 

–  Implement  legislation  on  preventing  bribery  with  due  regard  for  inter-institutional 

coordination. 

–  Strengthen mechanisms to enforce the Law on declaration of assets. 

–  Clarify  rules  related  to  the  prevention  of  conflicts  of  interest  in  the  exercise  of  public 

functions. 

–  Clarify rules related to the public access to information in line with international standards. 

–  Reduce  the  list  of  officials  covered  by  immunity  and  grant  immunity  only  where  strictly 

appropriate. 

Human rights and protection of minorities 

Observance of international human rights law 

–  Ensure  that  all  law  enforcement  bodies  are  aware  of  their  human  rights  obligations  and 
implement  them  rigorously  in  accordance  with  the  code  of  ethics  for  the  prisons  system 
and  with  international  conventions  ratified  by  Albania,  in  particular  the  European 
Convention on Human Rights. 

Civil and political rights 

–  Address  cases  of  ill-treatment  by  law  enforcement  bodies  by  means  of  appropriate 

prosecution of perpetrators. 

–  Ensure that the relevant international conventions are observed in establishing and running 

new penitentiary facilities. 

–  Bring Albania's legislation on defamation into line with European standards and implement 

it. 

–  Expedite effective legislation to ensure transparency on media ownership. 

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–  Fully  implement  current  legislation  on  print  media  and  journalists'  independence, 
coordinate new legislation on freedom of expression and develop comprehensive electronic 
media legislation in line with European standards. 

Social and economic rights  

–  Make further efforts to prevent domestic violence. 

–  Take further measures to address child labour. 

–  Develop community-based services and aid to dependent persons, including in the field of 

mental health. 

–  Further accelerate both the first registration of properties and the processing of restitution 
claims  and  ensure  that  mechanisms  for  compensation  are  sustainable  and  that  these 
processes are properly coordinated with the property legalisation initiative. 

Minority rights, cultural rights and protection of minorities 

–  Continue to implement commitments under the Council of Europe Framework Convention 
for the Protection of National Minorities, in particular as regards use of minority languages 
with  the  authorities,  display  of  traditional  local  names  and  extending  minority  language 
education. 

–  Implement  the  national  strategy  for  the  Roma  and  ensure  appropriate  funding,  as  part  of 

the government's strategy for combating poverty and social exclusion. 

–  Foster registration, including birth registration, of members of the Roma minority. 

–  Provide sound data on minorities in Albania. 

Regional issues and international obligations 

–  Comply  with  the  stabilisation  and  association  process  commitments  in  terms  of  regional 
cooperation and good neighbourly relations, including by promoting the transition from the 
Stability  Pact  to  a  more  regionally  owned  cooperation  framework  and  effective 
implementation of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). 

–  Conclude  and  implement  agreements  with  neighbouring  countries  and  ensure  effective 
implementation,  notably  on  cross  border  cooperation,  the  fight  against  organised  crime, 
trafficking  and  smuggling,  judicial  cooperation,  border  management,  readmission,  the 
environment, transport and energy. 

Economic criteria 

–  Continue implementing a stability-oriented fiscal policy which aims at fiscal consolidation 

and is conducive to low inflation and external sustainability.  

–  Continue  with  fiscal  reform  with  the  aim  of  strengthening  revenue  administration  and 

improving debt management capacity. 

–  Pursue  a  monetary  policy  conducive  to  the  objective  of  achieving  and  maintaining  price 

stability to reduce and anchor inflation expectations. 

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–  Complete the creation of a credit information bureau to help safeguard the rapidly growing 

credit portfolio of the banking system. 

–  Reduce  the  grey  economy  by  effective  and  non-discriminatory  enforcement  of  tax 

legislation and intensifying the fight against fiscal fraud. 

European standards 

Internal market 

Free movement of goods 

–  Further increase awareness of economic operators in relation to the concepts of standards 

and certification and their importance in international trade.  

–  Adopt  and  start  to  implement  the  national  market  surveillance  strategy  for  industrial 

products and food.  

–  Adopt new legislation on consumer protection compatible with the acquis. Strengthen the 

consumer protection department.  

Movement of persons, services and right of establishment 

–  Ensure a clear distinction between the temporary and permanent provision of services and 

compatibility with Stabilisation and Association Agreement requirements. 

–  Strengthen  the  regulatory  framework  for  banking  and  non-banking  financial  supervision 

and the capacity of the Financial Supervision Authority.  

Free movement of capital 

–  Authorise  acquisition  of  real  estate  by  EU  nationals  within  the  limits  provided  for  in  the 
Schedule  of  Specific  Commitments  under  the  General  Agreement  on  Trade  in  Services 
(GATS). 

Customs and taxation 

–  Further  align  customs  legislation  and  procedures  with  EU  practices;  in  particular,  ensure 
approximation of rules and procedures for transit, customs warehouses, customs valuation, 
physical  controls  and  risk  analysis  to  EU  standards.  Ensure  that  national  tariff  is  timely 
updated on the basis of the most recent Combined Nomenclature.  

–  Fully  implement  the  computerised  system  for  customs  declaration  and  customs  data 

processing in all customs offices. 

–  Further  approximate  tax  legislation  with  the  EU  acquis,  notably  in  the  field  of  excise 
duties, and commit to the principles of the Code of Conduct for business taxation, ensuring 
that new tax measures also comply with these principles. 

–  Reinforce the capacity of the tax administration, in particular in the fields of tax controls 

and audit, in order to increase compliance and reduce tax evasion.  

–  Complete the process of computerising tax offices. 

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Competition 

–  Improve  and  approximate  to  the  acquis  the  existing  anti-trust  legislation  to  reinforce 

competition control.  

–  Strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  of  the  competition  authority  and  provide  adequate 

staff and training. 

–  Adopt implementing legislation on state aid. 

–  Continue updating the inventory of state aid schemes.  

Public procurement 

–  Enforce public procurement legislation and take steps to bring it fully up to EU standards, 

especially as regards utilities sector and remedies.  

–  Further  strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  of  the  Public  Procurement  Agency,  public 
procurement entities in line ministries and local government and courts dealing with public 
procurement. 

–  Ensure investigation and criminal prosecution of procurement-related offences. 

Intellectual property law 

–  Prepare  a  national  strategy  and  an  action  plan  for  further  legislative  developments  and 

strengthening of intellectual property rights (IPR). 

–  Strengthen the administrative capacity for protection of IPR.  

–  Intensify enforcement against piracy and counterfeiting. 

–  Further  increase  awareness  of  IPR  issues  amongst  the  business  community  and  law 

enforcement bodies, including the judiciary. 

–  Improve industrial property legislation.  

Employment and social policies 

–  Improve social protection systems and combat social exclusion. 

–  Strengthen  the  state  committee  on  equal  opportunities  and  fully  implement  the  gender 

equality act. 

–  Adopt measures to increase school enrolment rates at secondary level and among children 

in rural areas, in particular girls, and in vocational schools. 

–  Develop  adequate  administrative  structures  and  capacity  in  the  field  of  consumer  and 

health protection. 

Education and research  

–  Continue efforts to improve the governance of the education system, teacher training and 

education infrastructure. 

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–  Implement  the  new  law  on  higher  education.  Step  up  efforts  to  promote  a  better 

involvement in the Tempus programme. 

WTO issues 

–  Strengthen the administrative capacity of the WTO Relations and Economic Cooperation 

Department in the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 

Sectoral policies 

Industry and SMEs 

–  Accelerate  progress  on  implementing  the  European  Charter  for  Small  and  Medium-sized 

Enterprises. 

–  Further  implement  the  action  plans  to  remove  administrative  barriers  to  business  and 
investment  and  to  address  the  informal  economy  and  ensure  proper,  non-discretionary, 
non-discriminatory  implementation  of  business-related  legislation,  rules  and  procedures. 
Reduce obsolete and inefficient regulations through regulatory guillotine procedures.  

–  Increase policy research in innovation and competitiveness issues for small companies and 

implement support programmes. 

Agriculture and fisheries 

–  Adopt a new law on food in line with EU standards, strengthen the food safety system and 

related control systems. 

–  Reinforce laboratory capacity in the food safety, and veterinary and phytosanitary domain. 

–  Improve food safety, phytosanitary and veterinary legislation, and start its implementation. 

–  Improve the system of identification of bovines and registration of their movements, and 
start  the  implementation  of  a  system  of  identification  and  registration  of  movements  for 
pigs, sheep and goats.  

Environment 

–  Strengthen administrative capacity and coordination at national and local level. 

–  Fully implement legislation on environmental impact assessment. 

–  Adopt  a  strategy  further  to  approximate  environmental  legislation  with  the  acquis  and 

implement existing legislation properly, especially as regards enforcement.  

–  Continue to address the environmental hot spots at the Sharra solid waste landfill and the 

Patos-Marinez oil extraction area. 

–  Further  develop  and  implement  the  national  water  and  sanitation  strategy  and  the  rural 
strategy for water supply and sewerage and develop and start implementing a strategy for 
progressive approximation to the acquis in the area of water supply and sanitation. 

–  Implement  international  conventions  to  which  Albania  is  party  in  the  field  of  nature 

protection. 

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Transport policy 

–  Implement  the  national  transport  plan,  including  the  planning  and  budgeting  of  transport 
asset maintenance, and adopt and implement the national transport strategy, including the 
strategy for the railway sector. 

–  Continue implementation of the memorandum of understanding on the development of the 
South East Europe (SEE) core regional transport network and strengthen cooperation with 
the South East Europe Transport Observatory.  

–  Take  measures  to  improve  road  safety  conditions,  including  approximation  to  the  EU 
acquis  on  weights  and  dimensions,  roadworthiness  tests,  technical  roadside  inspections, 
driving licences, tachographs and vehicle registration documents. 

–  Take  measures  to  prevent  illegal  construction  along  new  roads,  in  particular  dangerous 

privately constructed access roads. 

–  Prepare  railway  network  statement  for  open  access  to  infrastructure  use  and  adopt  and 

implement a railway business plan. 

–  Implement  Albania's  commitments  under  the  first  transitional  phase  of  the  European 
Common Aviation Area Agreement, including the implementation of the relevant aviation 
legislation.  

–  Implement  the  action  plan  to  address  the  deficiencies  identified  within  the  civil  aviation 

authority as regards safety oversight of the country's airlines. 

–  Improve maritime safety conditions, particularly the detention rate of Albanian ships under 

the Paris Memorandum of Understanding. 

Energy 

–  Approve and implement the revised national energy strategy. 

–  Meet the requirements of the Energy Community Treaty in the area of gas and electricity.  

Information society and media 

–  Ensure that electronic communications legislation is in line with the acquis and is enforced 
and  take  measures  to  achieve  a  competitive  market  for  electronic  communications 
networks and services. 

–  Strengthen the expertise and capacity of the Telecommunications Regulatory Entity. 

–  Align Albanian legislation with the European Convention on Transfrontier Television and 

the Television without Frontiers directive. 

–  Strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  of  the  National  Council  on  Radio  and  Television 
and adopt the strategy for development of the radio and television sector and an updated 
national analogue and digital frequency plan for radio and television. 

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Financial control 

–  Review the public internal and  financial  control policy  paper and action plan and clearly 
define  the  internal  audit  function,  separate  from  other  control  and  inspection  functions. 
Develop an appropriate inspection service to combat fraud. 

–  Ensure  that  the  Internal  Audit  Law  and  the  draft  organic  Budget  Law  are  in  line  with 

internationally recognised standards.  

–  Strengthen the independence of the Supreme Audit Institute. 

Statistics 

–  Strengthen the capacity of the Statistical Office. 

Justice, freedom and security 

Visa, border control, asylum and migration 

–  Issue  travel  documents  in  accordance  with  international  standards  and  establish  a 

centralised IT network for administration of visas. 

–  Adopt  amendments  to  the  Law  on  foreigners  to  bring  visa  legislation  closer  to 

EU standards. 

–  Implement  the  integrated  border  management  strategy  and  action  plan,  paying  particular 

attention to cooperation at the border between customs and the border police. 

–  Ensure that border management at all border crossing points, in particular at the ports of 

Durres and Vlora complies with EU standards. 

–  Implement  the  EC/Albania  readmission  agreement  and  negotiate  readmission  agreements 

with the countries of origin of transiting migrants. 

–  Focus  sufficient  administrative  and  financial  capacity  on  implementing  legislation  on 

asylum and migration and the related national strategies and action plans. 

Money laundering 

–  Take the necessary measures to enforce anti-money laundering legislation better in terms 

of prevention, convictions, confiscations, seizures and freezing assets. 

–  Enhance  the  capacity  of  the  financial  intelligence  unit,  the  prosecutor's  offices  and  the 
police  Economic  Crimes  Unit  by  ensuring  appropriate  financial  and  IT resources  and 
improving working-level cooperation. 

–  Bring the Law on the prevention of money laundering into line with the acquis and with 
the Financial Action Task Force's and Council of Europe's Moneyval recommendations. 

–  Strengthen  the  capacity  of  the  agency  for  the  administration  of  seized  and  confiscated 

assets. 

–  Further improve cooperation with the authorities of other countries. 

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–  Ensure  proper  enforcement  of  reporting  obligations  and  examine  transaction  reporting 

thresholds. 

–  Take more effective measures to reduce use of cash in the economy. 

Drugs 

–  Implement  the  national  anti-drug  strategy,  the  related  action  plan  and  the  mini-Dublin 

Group recommendations. 

–  Improve the training, equipment and continuity of management of police officers involved 
in  the  fight  against  drugs  and  take  further  steps  to  ensure  better  coordination,  both 
domestically and with partners in other countries, in the fight against drugs. 

–  Identify  and  prosecute  those  responsible  for  corruption  related  to  the  drugs  trade  at  all 

levels in the public administration. 

–  Ensure  greater  transparency  in  seizure  figures  and  take  measures  to  dispose  properly  of 

drugs seized in old cases. 

–  Implement  a  balanced  overall  strategy  to  address  drug  demand,  including  prevention, 

treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. 

Police 

–  Ensure full implementation of the provisions on ranks in the new State Police Law. 

–  Improve the management capacity of the Albanian state police. 

–  Strengthen the police internal affairs unit and ensure proper prosecution of police officers 

for criminal offences. 

–  Establish and put into operation a consolidated manual of procedures for all criminal police 

officers. 

–  Implement the strategy on community policing. 

Fighting organised crime and terrorism 

–  Take further measures to enhance cooperation between the various state bodies involved in 
the  fight  against  organised  crime  and  terrorism  and,  in  particular,  between  the  judicial 
authorities and the police. 

–  Take  further  measures  to  establish  coherent  and  coordinated  intelligence  gathering  and 

processing systems. 

–  Enhance use of special investigative means, interception of telecommunications and use of 

intelligence information. 

–  Urgently put in place practical measures to guarantee witness protection. 

–  Strengthen  domestic  and  international  cooperation  on  preventing  trafficking  in  human 

beings and the staffing of the police anti-trafficking unit. 

–  Take measures to provide counter-terrorist analysts and investigators with better equipment 

and training. 

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Protection of personal data 

–  Align  the  current  law  on  personal  data  protection  with  the  acquis,  and  the  Council  of 

Europe Convention on the protection of personal data. 

–  Establish an independent data protection supervisory authority with sufficient powers over 

the public and private sectors and sufficient financial and human resources.  

3.2. Medium-term priorities 

Political criteria 

Democracy and the rule of law 

Governance 

–  Ensure  effective implementation  and  monitoring of the  national strategy  for development 

and integration. 

Public administration 

–  Ensure  that  the  sectors  of  the  administration  responsible  for  implementation  of  the  SAA 
provisions  and  those  involved  in  implementation  of  the  EC  financial  assistance  are 
adequately trained and equipped to carry out their duties. 

–  Introduce results-oriented management and training for civil servants. 

–  Design and implement a civil service salary structure which allows both proper budgetary 

planning and a motivating career structure. 

–  Ensure the sustainability of reforms in the public administration. 

Judicial system 

–  Ensure prosecution of serious crimes, especially organised crime, with particular attention 

to cross-border cooperation mechanisms. 

–  Enforce legislation on witness protection. 

–  Ensure continued and appropriate training of judges and prosecutors, including on human 

rights, ethics and commercial and corporate matters and SAA-related issues. 

–  Ensure the financial sustainability of the magistrates' school. 

–  Review the role and qualifications of judicial administrators and progressively incorporate 

them into the civil service, ensuring pay parity with ministry staff. 

Anti-corruption policy 

–  Implement the European Conventions on Corruption in Criminal and Civil Matters ratified 

by Albania and the relevant UN conventions. 

–  Achieve significant results in the fight against corruption, at all levels and in all fields, by 

enforcing adequate legislation. 

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Human rights and protection of minorities 

Observance of international human rights law 

–  Ensure that detainees and prisoners on remand are treated in accordance with international 

standards. 

–  Guarantee  that  human  dignity  and  personal  safety  are  respected  in  detention  centres, 

prisons and mental institutions, in accordance with international conventions. 

Civil and political rights 

–  Improve the juvenile justice system. 

–  Ensure compliance with the Council of Europe Convention for the Prevention of Torture 

and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment.  

–  Adopt  comprehensive  anti-discrimination  legislation,  and  ensure  appropriate  institutional 

support for victims including by existing institutions in charge of human rights. 

–  Enforce  legislation  on  restitution/compensation  of  properties  confiscated  during  the 

communist period. 

–  Complete the process of land registration. 

–  Ensure that transfers of property are carried out in accordance with the law and ensure the 
proper functioning of all bodies involved in the process (notaries, property register, etc.). 

–  Enforce  legislation  on  printed  and  electronic  media,  taking  into  account  European 

standards. 

–  Ensure  that  TV  frequency  is  allocated  in  a  fair  and  non-discriminatory  manner,  in 
accordance  with  the  national  plan,  and  that  requirements  are  fully  respected  by 
broadcasters, Improve the neutrality of the public service broadcaster. 

–  .Encourage  the  active  participation  of  NGOs  and  other  civil  society  organisations  in  the 
government  decision-making  process  and  the  continued  improvement  of  the  quality  of 
journalism. 

Regional issues and international obligations 

–  Further promote regional dialogue, stability, good neighbourliness and cooperation. 

–  Bring  the  agreement  concluded  with  the  USA  regarding  the  conditions  of  surrender  of 
people to the International Criminal Court into line with the EU guiding principles adopted 
by the European Council in September 2002. 

Economic criteria 

–  Reduce  the  tax  wedge  on  wages  and  improve  incentive  structures  and  flexibility  in  the 
labour  market  to  increase  the  participation  and  employment  rates,  while  securing  tax 
resources  by  broadening  the  tax  base  and  improving  compliance,  at  a  measured  and 
prudent pace to ensure sustainable public finances. 

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–  Improve the education system with the aim of increasing the supply of sought-after skills, 

fostering employment and long-term economic growth. 

–  Upgrade  the  country's  infrastructure,  in  particular  in  energy  and  transport,  in  order  to 

strengthen the competitiveness of the economy at large. 

–  Speed  up  the  privatisation  of  publicly  owned  enterprises  to  strengthen  corporate 

governance and reduce quasi-fiscal losses. 

–  Improve the business environment to increase greenfield foreign direct investment. 

–  Establish  effective  procedures  for  detecting,  dealing  with  and  following  up  cases  of 

(suspected) fraud and other irregularities affecting national and international funds.  

European standards 

Internal market 

Free movement of goods 

–  Ensure administrative capacity to implement SAA and IA requirements in this area. 

–  Make further progress on adopting European standards and speed up efforts to become a 

full member of the European standardisation organisations. 

–  Make progress on transposing new and global approach and old approach directives. 

–  Fully establish a market surveillance system.  

–  Ensure  improved  functioning  of  the  bodies  responsible  for  standardisation,  accreditation 
and  certification  and  of  those  responsible  for  metrology  and  calibration,  taking  into 
account EC best practices. 

–  Ensure Albania's membership of the European Cooperation for Accreditation organisation. 

Movement of persons, services and right of establishment 

–  Approve  legislation  on  employment  of  foreigners  and  take  measures  to  coordinate  social 

security services. 

–  Ensure  that  the  legislation  on  the  right  of  establishment  is  implemented  fairly  and 

impartially. 

Free movement of capital 

–  Make progress towards fulfilling Albania's SAA commitments on full liberalisation of the 
movement of capital, including ensuring the same treatment to EU and Albanian nationals 
regarding  portfolio  investments  and  financial  loans  and  credits  with  maturity  of  shorter 
than one year. 

Customs and taxation 

–  Ensure  continued  approximation  of  Albanian  customs  and  taxation  legislation  to  the  EU 
acquis  and  further  increase  administrative  capacity  to  implement  customs  and  tax 
legislation and to fight corruption, cross-border crime and fiscal evasion. 

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–  Improve transparency and the exchange of information with EU Member States in order to 

facilitate enforcement of measures to prevent avoidance or evasion of taxes. 

Competition 

–  Further improve the enforcement record in the areas of anti-trust and state aid control.  

–  Complete  alignment  of  state  aid  schemes  with  EU  competition  rules,  as  stated  in  the 

interim agreement. 

Public procurement 

–  Ensure the compatibility of Albania's legal framework with the EU acquis. 

–  Achieve  fully  operational  public  procurement  structures,  ensuring  operation  of  public 
procurement procedures in strict compliance with the law and with SAA requirements. 

Intellectual property law 

–  Fully implement international conventions ratified in the field of intellectual, commercial 

and industrial property rights. 

–  Implement intellectual property rights legislation properly and achieve improved results in 

the fight against piracy and counterfeiting. 

–  Guarantee sufficient administrative capacity to comply with SAA requirements in this area. 

Employment and social policies  

–  Facilitate  women's  inclusion  in  the  labour  market  and  their  participation  in  the  decision-

making process.  

–  Integrate  employment  and  vocational  training  strategies  into  social,  educational,  tax, 
enterprise and regional policies. Address implementation of international commitments in 
health in particular the international health regulations  

–  Progress  with  alignment  of  quality  standards  for  transfusion  of  blood  and  blood 

components with EU legislation. 

–  Start implementing the National Health System Strategy 2007 to 2013. 

Education and Research  

–  Continue  efforts  to  improve  the  quality  of  education  and  to  create  a  modern  vocational 
education  and  training  system,  promote  regional  cooperation  in  the  field  of  higher 
education.  

Sectoral policies 

Industry and SMEs 

–  Enforce improved commercial legislation. 

–  Ensure that the strategy to combat the informal economy keeps pace with developments in 

the sector. 

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–  Further  develop  specialised  business  support  structures  (e.g.  incubators  and  clusters)  and 

examine the feasibility of a business/ technology park. 

–  Start designing and applying an integrated research policy and further develop measures to 

boost innovation and competitiveness in small companies. 

–  Introduce disclosure and financial reporting standards in line with EU standards and ensure 

effective enforcement. 

–  Continue implementing the European Charter for Small Enterprises.  

Agriculture and fisheries 

–  Develop strategies for land use, the land market, rural development, diversification of farm 

activities and enhancing agricultural competitiveness. 

–  Achieve substantial improvements in terms of food safety and phytosanitary and veterinary 

conditions, in compliance with EC requirements. 

–  Assess  the  compliance  of  agri-food  establishments  with  EU  requirements,  prepare  a 

programme for their upgrading and start its implementation. 

–  Start  action  with  a  view  to  ensuring  efficient  control  of  domestic  plant  production,  in 
particular for products with specific EU requirements, and set up analytical capacity in the 
phytosanitary sector. 

–  Take measures to  ensure that Albanian  fisheries policy moves closer to EU standards, in 
particular in the areas of resource management, inspection and control and in market and 
structural policies. 

Environment 

–  Establish  a  full  inventory  of  hot  spots  and  continue  efforts  to  address  hot  spots  already 

identified. 

–  Reduce  pollution  produced  by  the  Balsh  refinery,  including  discharges  into  the 

River Gjanica, and take measures to tackle water pollution in general. 

–  Strengthen environmental monitoring and ensure sufficiently dissuasive sanctions  against 

polluters. 

–  Continue to implement regional and international environmental commitments. 

Transport policy 

–  Continue implementation of the Albanian transport master plan 

–  Complete  the  necessary  institutional  reforms  to  improve  transport  asset  management, 

prioritisation of investments, policy-making and involvement of the private sector. 

–  Make  substantial  progress  on  rehabilitation  of  the  ports  of  Durres  and  Vlora  and 

consolidate port operations there. 

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–  Achieve  improved  results  in  terms  of  road  safety  (including  the  implementation  of  the 
digital tachograph)  and take additional steps  towards further  approximation  to the acquis 
on market access (occupation) and social rules. 

–  Continue implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on the development of of 
the  south-east  Europe  (SEE)  core  regional  transport  network,  and  cooperation  with  the 
SEE transport observatory. 

–  Create conditions for competition in the rail transport sector, including the establishment of 

regulatory and safety bodies.  

–  Implement  commitments  taken  on  under  the  second  transitional  phase  of  the  European 

Common Aviation Area Agreement.  

–  Achieve  significant  results  in  improving  maritime  safety  conditions,  including  port  state 
control  facilities  and  performance  of  the  register  of  shipping  pursuant  to  the  Paris 
memorandum of understanding.  

Energy 

–  Continue to ensure proper implementation of action plans in relation to the electricity and 
gas sector and make further progress with implementation of the Albanian energy strategy. 

–  Ensure timely implementation of the various projects aimed at improving the infrastructure 

for electricity production, transmission and distribution. 

–  Continue to implement regional and international commitments in the energy field with a 

view to establishing a competitive regional energy market. 

–  Improve implementation of the Energy Efficiency Law.  

Information society and media 

–  Further transpose and implement the EU framework for electronic communications. 

–  Continue  the  process  of  alignment  with  the  European  Convention  on  Transfrontier 

Television and the Television without Frontiers directive. 

Financial control 

–  Develop  and  implement  the  principles  of  decentralised  managerial  accountability  and 
functionally independent internal audit, in accordance with international standards and EU 
best practice. 

–  Develop procedures and administrative capacity to ensure effective protection of the EU's 

financial interests. 

–  Ensure that the Law on external audit complies with the guidelines of the Organisation of 

Supreme Audit Institutions. 

–  Further  strengthen  capacity  for  external  audit,  financial  control  management  and  internal 

audit. 

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Statistics 

–  Improve  agricultural  statistics  and  macro-economic  statistics,  develop  social  statistics, 
including  education  and  health  statistics,  and  make  progress  towards  implementing  all 
European classifications, including the classification of statistical regions. 

Justice, freedom and security 

Visa, border control, asylum and migration 

–  Ensure that all Albanian travel documents fully comply with international standards. 

–  Implement  all  international  commitments  undertaken  by  Albania  in  the  area  of  border 

management. 

–  Enforce  asylum-related  legislation  and  establish  a  fully-fledged  asylum  system,  in 

compliance with international standards, including reception of asylum seekers. 

–  Implement Albania's national strategy on migration and national action plan on asylum. 

–  Ensure that Albania is in a position to meet the SAA requirements regarding EU citizens 

working and/or residing in Albania. 

–  Progressively conclude, ratify and implement all the main international conventions in the 

field of migration. 

Money laundering 

–  Step  up  the  fight  against  economic  and  financial  crime,  including  money-laundering  and 

counterfeiting of currencies. 

–  Achieve tangible results in the fight against money-laundering, both within and outside the 

financial sector. 

Drugs 

–  Ensure  substantially  improved  results  in  the  fight  against  drug  trafficking,  especially  as 

regards synthetic drugs, heroin and cocaine. 

Police 

–  Continue  to  bring  police  services  up  to  European  standards,  most  notably  by  means  of 

adequate training and equipment. 

–  Achieve significant results in the fight against crime and in fighting corruption and other 

criminal behaviour within police ranks. 

Fighting organised crime and terrorism 

–  Further  increase  international  cooperation  in  the  fight  against  organised  crime  and 

terrorism. 

–  Make  major  progress  on  the  rate,  number  and  quality  of  prosecutions  in  relation  to 
offences connected with organised crime and trafficking and also in terms of seizure of the 
proceeds of crime. 

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–  Fully  incorporate  into  domestic  legislation  and  implement  the  international  conventions 

and protocols on prevention of terrorism to which Albania is party. 

Protection of personal data 

–  Ensure  the  efficient  monitoring  and  enforcement  of  national  personal  data  protection 

legislation. 

4. 

PROGRAMMING 

Community assistance under the stabilisation and association process to the Western Balkan 
countries will  be provided under the existing financial instruments,  in particular by Council 
Regulation  (EC)  No  1085/2006  (IPA),  and  for  programmes  adopted  before  2007,  Council 
Regulation  No  2666/2000  of  5  December  2000  (CARDS  regulation)4.The  financing 
agreements  serve  as  legal  basis  for  the  implementation  of  the  concrete  programmes. 
Accordingly, this Decision will have no financial implications. 

Albania can also have access to funding from multi-country and horizontal programmes. 

5. 

CONDITIONALITY 

Assistance  to  the  Western  Balkan  countries  is  conditional  on  progress  on  satisfying  the 
Copenhagen  criteria  and  on  meeting  the  specific  priorities  of  this  European  Partnership. 
Failure to respect these conditions could lead the Council to take appropriate measures on the 
basis  of  Article  21  of  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  1085/2006  or,  in  the  case  of  pre-2007 
programmes,  on  the  basis  of  Article  5  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  2666/2000.  The  assistance  is 
also subject to the conditions defined by the Council in its conclusions of 29 April 1997, in 
particular  as  regards  the  recipients’  undertaking  to  carry  out  democratic,  economic  and 
institutional reforms. Specific conditions are also included in individual annual programmes. 
The financing decisions will be followed by a financing agreement signed with Albania.  

6. 

MONITORING 

Implementation of the European Partnership will be examined by the mechanisms established 
under the Stabilisation and Association Process, notably the annual reports presented by the 
Commission. 

4 

OJ  L306,7  12  2000,  p.  1.  Regulation  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  2112/2005  (OJ  L  344, 
27.12.2005, p. 23). 

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