Cluster 4 – Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity

Cluster 4 – Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, consists of 4 chapters and focuses mainly on building a sustainable and green economy, improving transport and energy infrastructure, and protecting the environment and climate in line with EU standards. 

Reforms in these areas are essential for Albania’s alignment with the EU acquis and to ensure that economic and social development goes hand in hand with environmental sustainability and the green transition. The overall goal of Cluster 4 is for Albania to be fully integrated into the EU’s energy and transport networks, promoting a competitive economy with minimal environmental impact and increasing the quality of life of citizens. 

The EU, on 16 September 2025, with the opening of negotiations for this Cluster, has determined that it can be temporarily closed only after the specific criteria of each chapter are met, exactly 22 of them in total.

Chapter 14 – Transport Policy 

Under this chapter, the EU sets rules on transport safety and quality, improving existing infrastructure and building new corridors. Particular importance is designated to reducing the environmental impact of transport and protecting passenger rights. These standards not only facilitate integration into the common market, but also improve the quality of life of citizens. Chapter 14 covers the following sub-areas: road transport, rail transport, air transport, maritime and combined transport.

After the opening of negotiations for Cluster 4, seven provisional closing benchmarks have been set for this chapter:

• Albania has an advanced level of alignment with the EU acquis concerning road charging and tolling.  

• Albania has aligned with the requirements of the EU acquis on the transport of dangerous goods, social acquis in road transport, rules for access to the occupation of road transport operator and dimensions and weights for certain types of heavy goods vehicles, as well as with the Roadworthiness Testing Directive and the Vehicle Registration Documents Directive .  

• Albania has aligned with the Intelligent Transport System in road and rail transport and began its implementation.  

• Albania has ensured that a competent, independent and effective railway regulatory body, a national safety authority and a national investigating body are fully operational. Albania has ensured alignment with EU rail safety and interoperability acquis. 

•  Albania has aligned with the acquis on air traffic management, air operations and occurrences reporting and aviation accident and incident investigations. 

•  Albania has advanced level of alignment with the EU acquis on maritime safety and security and took the necessary measures to no longer be grey listed. 

•  Albania has aligned with the acquis on passenger rights in all modes of transport and ensured the role of national enforcement bodies upon accession. 

Chapter 15 – Energy 

The importance of this chapter is linked to the direct impact of energy on all sectors of the economy, as well as to the EU’s continued dependence on energy imports. Considering the impact of energy policies on the economy, the market, public health and the environment, strategic commitments in this area are essential for achieving sustainable economic and social development. This chapter includes sub-areas such as security of energy supply, increasing competition in the internal energy market, promotion of renewable energy sources, energy and nuclear safety and radiation protection.

After the opening of negotiations for Cluster 4, three provisional closing benchmarks have been set for this chapter: 

• Albania has aligned with the Internal Energy Market acquis, in particular with the Electricity Integration Package.

• Albania has aligned its legislation with the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy acquis including implementing legislation, and has demonstrated progress in their implementation.  

• Albania has aligned its legislation with emergency Oil Stocks, and Risk Preparedness for Electricity Regulation, including designating a competent authority to manage energy stocks, and has begun to constitute actual stock. 

Chapter 21 – Trans-European Networks 

This chapter deals with transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure policies, including Community guidelines for the development of Trans-European Networks and support measures for the development of projects of common interest. The development of Trans-European networks and their interaction with national networks aims to ensure full use of the internal market, to stimulate economic growth and create jobs, by ensuring connectivity and the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour, and by strengthening economic and social cohesion. The sub-areas of this chapter are trans-European transport networks, trans-European energy networks and trans-European telecommunications networks.

After the opening of negotiations for Cluster 4, three provisional closing benchmarks have been set for this chapter:

• Albania has aligned its legal framework with the TEN-E Regulation.  

• Albania has agreed with the European Commission, after due consultations, the future TEN-T network priority projects. Albania has an advanced level of alignment with TEN-T regulation and achieved sufficient progress towards completion of the projects on Western Balkans–Eastern Mediterranean European Transport Corridor.  

• Albania ensures adequate institutional and administrative capacity with high standards of integrity needed to undertake the responsibilities of the acquis in this chapter. 

Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate Change 

EU policies in the field of environment aim to promote sustainable development and protect the environment for present and future generations. They are based on preventive action, the “polluter pays” principle, combating environmental damage at source, sharing of responsibilities and the integration of environmental protection into other EU policies. This chapter covers sub-areas such as horizontal legislation; air quality; waste management; water quality; nature protection; industrial pollution; chemicals; noise; civil protection and climate change.

After the opening of negotiations for Cluster 4, nine provisional closing benchmarks have been set for this chapter:

• Albania has aligned its legislation with the horizontal environmental acquis and demonstrated tangible progress towards a solid track record of implementation and enforcement in this area including for impact assessment (Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment Directives), especially for infrastructure investments whilst ensuring compliance with the requirements on public participation, transboundary consultations and access to justice in environmental matters. Albania has demonstrated that it will be ready to effectively implement and enforce the horizontal legislation by the date of accession. Albania ensures that its national spatial data infrastructure complies with the INSPIRE Directive.

• Albania has aligned with EU acquis on environmental crimes and made tangible progress towards a solid track record on environmental crime, such as wildlife crimes and deterioration of habitats, illegal shipment or dumping of waste, pollution crimes and illegal trading in hazardous substances.

• Albania continues to align with relevant EU acquis on air quality and certain atmospheric pollutants. It reports emissions annually, in line with the NEC Directive, has adopted a National Air Pollution Control Programme and has presented an analysis of cost-effective emission control strategies for 2030. Albania continues to take measures to improve air quality, particularly in areas exceeding EU limit values and by developing or updating air quality plans, as envisaged by the Ambient Air Quality Directive.

• Albania continues to align with relevant EU waste acquis, respecting the waste hierarchy and dedicates appropriate funding to infrastructure investments. Albania establishes waste prevention programmes, prepares waste management plans – national and regional – that include information on all waste streams and the solutions to manage them, including type and capacity of waste management infrastructure, separate collection schemes and economic instruments. Albania continues to align with the EU acquis in the water sector and develops river basin management plans for each river basin district lying entirely within its territory, including the portions of international river basin districts falling within its territory, and ensures that the legal basis and mechanisms for international coordination of these plans are in place. Albania has an advanced level of alignment with the drinking water legislation, and further aligns with Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

• Albania continues to align with the EU acquis in the area of nature protection, including by repealing the incompatible provisions enacted through amendments to the law on Protected Areas (Law No. 21/2024) and by terminating the 2015 legislation on strategic investments. Albania has submitted to the Commission the list of proposed Natura 2000 sites, sufficiently covering the habitat types and species in line with the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives. Albania has ensured the capacity to manage the Natura 2000 network, including by granting appropriate protection status to designated areas and effectively implementing the necessary conservation measures leading to their preservation and improvement. Albania demonstrates that it will be fully prepared to ensure the implementation and enforcement of the EU nature protection acquis requirements at the date of accession.

• Albania has an advanced level of alignment with the acquis in the areas of chemicals, noise and civil protection sectors, and demonstrates that it will be fully prepared to ensure the implementation and enforcement of the EU requirements at the date of accession.

• Albania has an advanced level of alignment with the climate EU acquis, and has demonstrated it will be ready to implement and enforce it upon accession. Albania establishes a robust monitoring and reporting framework, in line with reporting requirements under the Governance Regulation. Albania established a long-term strategy aligned with the EU’s climate-neutrality goal for 2050.

• Albania has an advanced level of alignment with the EU acquis in the area of emission trading, notably by adopting legislation on the functioning of the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and its successive amendments. In particular Albania has ensured that the relevant legislation on monitoring and reporting, accreditation and verification (MRVA) and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) from maritime sector under the EU ETS in its entire scope is in place and implemented. Albania has further aligned with the Union Registry, free allocation, and auctioning. Albania ensures sufficient progress to be able to implement the CBAM upon accession.

• Albania has demonstrated adequate capacity of the administrative bodies at all levels with high standards of integrity, including inspection services, further improves coordination of work and demonstrates that all appropriate administrative structures and adequate training are in place in good time before accession to enable implementation and enforcement of the acquis in all areas of this chapter.

Screening Timetable for EU-Albania Cluster 4

Relevant documents:

Screening Report for Cluster 4 – Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, July 2025

EU Common Position for Cluster 4 – Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, September 2025