National Resource Center for Civil Society in Albania: NPO Academy Lectures on EU Integration by EMA

Under the project National Resource Center for Civil Society in Albania, implemented by Partners in Albania for Change and Development in partnership with European Movement in Albania, EMA and its experts are contributing with one lecture on EU integration and role of Civil Society for each academic year of Non-Profit Organizations Academy. In this regard EMA has conducted one  lecture for each year of the NPO Academy from 2019 until now.

Lecture of NPO Academy 2025 – the session was held at the premises of Partners Albania on March 27, 2025. It focused on the European Union and Albania’s European integration process, with particular emphasis on the opening of accession negotiations. The session was delivered by Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of EMA, and Nirvana Deliu, Project Director at EMA.

The main topics covered included:

• The main institutions, functions, and successive enlargement phases of the European Union
• The evolution of Albania–EU relations, with a focus on 2022 as the year when accession negotiations were officially opened and the first Intergovernmental Conference was held, screening process and opening of the clusters (interim and closing benchmarks)
• The EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans, including a comparison between Albania and other countries in the region, and an overview of the new EU Enlargement Methodology, highlighting its innovations and the advantages it brings to both candidate countries and the accession process.
• An overview of Albania’s negotiating structures, their development since 2019, and the process of opening clusters, interim benchmarks, and key documents such as Screening Reports, Roadmaps, the Common Position, and the EBARs.
• The role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the accession process, including their involvement in monitoring and consultation mechanisms, with particular reference to the Partnership Platform for European Integration, the Discussion and Consultation Roundtables on negotiations, the National Council for European Integration, and the EU–Albania Joint Consultative Committee under the EESC.
• EU financial support to the Western Balkans, with a focus on IPA III, the Economic and Investment Plan, the Growth Plan, and the Growth and Reform Facility.

Lecture of NPO Academy 2024 – this session was held in the premises of Partners Albania organization on February 22, 2024. European Union and Albania’s European integration process with specific emphasis on the opening of negotiations, were the main issues covered in this session by Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of EMA and Nirvana Deliu, Policy Researcher at EMA. The key topics included:
1. the historical background of EU creation starting from the end of World War II, main institutions and functions, and the phases of enlargement of the EU;
2. the historical background of Albania- EU relations, with emphasis on 2022, as the year when the negotiations were officially opened and the first Intergovernmental Conference was organized, followed by the start of the screening process which was successfully completed in November 2023;
3. the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans – a comparison of the process between Albania and other Balkan countries; the new EU Enlargement Methodology – the innovations presented and the advantages it brings to the candidate countries, but also to the process itself making it more dynamic, more political, more comprehensive and more credible;
4. an introduction of the negotiating structures set up in Albania and its developments since 2019, structures such as: Negotiation Group, including State Minister/Chief Negotiator and negotiators for each chapter of EU Acquis and Inter-Institutional Working Groups (GNPIE);
5. the role of CSOs in the process and means of their involvement and monitoring of the process explaining the main consultation platform established in Albania focused on the Partnership Platform for European Integration and the Discussion and Consultation Roundtables and on the screening process (timetable, challenges and main progress made)
6. Financial support of EU towards Western Balkans with focus on – Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) when a comparison between IPA II and IPA III, the Economic and Investment Plan and the newly introduced Growth Plan and Growth and Reform Facility;

Lecture of NPO Academy 2023 – this session was organized in physical presence at the premises of Partners Albania organization on 17 March 2023. The the main issues covered in this session by Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of EMA and Nirvana Deliu Policy Researcher at EMA. This session was focused mainly on the EU negotiations process, negotiating structure and on the progress Albania is making on the screening process after the official opening of negotiations on 19 July 2022. Other topics discussed included: SAA and Copenhagen criteria, the New EU Methodology of Enlargement, IPA and Economic and Investment Plan, Negotiations and negotiating structure, involvement of CSOs on the negotiations process with specific focus on Partnership Platform on European Integration.

Lecture of NPO Academy 2022 – this lecture was organized online on 9 March 2022. The topic of the lecture was the EU Integration process and the role of CSOs in this process, held by Gledis Gjipali and Nirvana Deliu. The main fields covered included the milestones of EU integration process of Albania; challenges and priorities set for this proces; EU funds for candidate countries and the role CSOs play in this process. A moment highlighted was the establishment and organization of Discussion and Consultation tables under the Partnership Platform on European Integration.

Lecture of NPO Academy 2021- This particular Session of the Academy of NPO-s 2021 was held online on March 12, 2021 due to the measures taken in Albania against Covid-19. European Union and Albania’s European integration process were the main issues covered in this session by Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of EMA and Nirvana Deliu Policy Researcher at EMA. The key topics had to do with:  the historical background of Albania- EU relations with emphasis on 2020, as the year when the Council approved the opening of the negotiations; the Schengen area and the new elements introduced to increase the security of free movement such as ETIAS, The Visa Liberalization Suspension Mechanism as well as the temporary control of the EU internal borders; the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans – a comparison of the process between Albania and other Balkan countries; the new EU Enlargement Methodology – the innovations presented and the advantages it brings to the candidate countries but also to the process itself making it more dynamic, more political, more comprehensive and more credible; – an introduction of the negotiating structures set up in Albania focused to the Partnership Platform for European Integration and the Discussion and Consultation Roundtables and all the methods that the civil society can get involved.

Lecture of NPO Academy 2020 – organised on 19 March 2020, online due to Covid-19 measures implemented in the country since 8 March 2020. The topic of the lecture was: “EU integration and CSOs role in this process” and was  lectured by Gledis Gjipali, expert on European integration issues, Executive Director of European Movement Albania. Topics of this lecture followed by 20 participants include:

1) The milestones of EU integration process of the country;

2) The main challenges of Albania in this process;

3) Visa liberalisation process;

4) EU funding programmes for aspiring countries and expectations of IPA III.

5) Role of CSOs in the EU integration process etc.,

Lecture of NPO Academy 2019 – organised on 08 May 2019 with the topic: “Role and contribution of Civil Society actors in EU integration of Albania”. This lecture was held by Mr. Gledis Gjipali and Ms. Mona Xhexhaj, experts on EU integration from European Movement in Albania.

During this session were discussed these topics: 1) Milestones of EU integration process of the country:

2) Main challenges of Albania in this process focused on main 5 priorities set by European Commission;

3)Visa liberalisation process of Albania – standards required to achieve the visa liberalisation and main developments in this field during recent years such as: European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) or Suspension Mechanism of Visa Liberalisation;

4)EU funds about Aspiring countries: IPA funds: how this instrument has been updated and changed during the years and which are the opportunities it offers to the civil society sector. Main focus was put on IPA programs where civil society and NGO-s can be engaged such as: IPA Facility Instrument or Cross-Border Programs etc;

5) Role of Civil Society in EU integration process highlighting the structures established in the process of opening of negotiations including the Platform of Partnership and creation of Negotiation Groups for each chapter of EU Acquis;

6) Role of Media in informing objectively and analysing this process having a peculiar attention on obstacles and cost-benefits for citizens and interest groups during the process of EU integration.

More than 30 participants took part in this session from national and local NGO-s in Albania.