The Netherlands will vote in favor of starting EU talks with Albania at the summit of European leaders next week, June 24-25.
The decision was taken on Thursday by the Dutch parliament, following the government’s proposal. While it doesn’t specifically mention the parliament’s approval for talks to start, the motion commends Albania’s progress and expresses no refusal.
It marks a change in the country’s assessment of Albania’s progress, after having blocked its progress in its path towards EU integration for several years due to issues with rule of law, fight against crime and corruption, and migration.
The parliament’s motion noted that Albania has made progress on conditions imposed by the European Council, and highlighted that the start of talks is merely the beginning of a long process of negotiations and reforms, adoption and full implementation of the European Union laws.
Based on the new enlargement methodology adopted in February 2020, the parliament demanded the government to strictly and actively monitor Albania’s progress, and provide annual reports for the parliament, particularly on issues related to justice and migration.
The motion approved in parliament also urges the government to take measures against Albania if the latter does not show sufficient progress. This is based on the new enlargement methodology, which will be implemented only for Albania and North Macedonia for now, and possibly later for Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well. Serbia and Montenegro, who have already started EU accession negotiations, are exempt from it.
This methodology makes the countries’ progress tougher and reversible – sanctions may apply if reforms stagnate or backslide, which may include slowed-down EU accession negotiations, decrease of funds, withdrawal of benefits, reopening of chapters of laws that were once closed.
With the Council of the European Union meeting scheduled for June 24-25, it remains unclear if Albania and North Macedonia will start negotiation talks, despite a generally more positive stance toward Albania compared to last year.
The two countries EU accession talks were approved in March 2020, but a number of conditions set on Albania made it impossible for a date to be set for the first negotiations meeting.
A unanimous approval for Albania’s progress by all 27 EU member states is not guaranteed yet, while North Macedonia seems to be blocked by Bulgaria over issues of language and national identity.
It remains to be seen whether the European leaders will support the separation of the two Balkans countries’ paths by setting a date for the first negotiations conference with Albania only.
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