Policy Paper: The Albanian Integration in the EU: The Case of Human Trafficking of Adults, March 2023

In the recent years, the EU has become an authoritative normative power in Western Balkans and in Albania. In July 2022, Albania started the accession negotiations process and the screening of the EU acquis. In addition, in November 2022, the EU is discussing a new EU strategy for enlargement. Focusing on the case of human trafficking, the EU, every five years, adopts the EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings. This paper analysis the case-law of human trafficking in Albania by considering the importance of international fundamental human rights. In the conclusions, this research shows that the Albanian High Court has also applied the ECtHR’s jurisprudence as well as EU law as sources of interpretation for the crime of human trafficking

*This paper has been prepared by PHD.PHD, Denard Veshi and PHD, Enkelejda Koka, lecturers and experts on migration and refugee issues in Albania and EU under the project “Addressing migrant smuggling prevention and/or the protection of smuggled migrants” implemented by European Movement Albania in cooperation with IRID organization in North Macedonia. This action has been financially supported by the European Union in framework of the project “Security for Human Beings and Borders – Combating Smuggling of Migrants in the Western Balkan” a project developed as a regional response of 7 CSOs affiliated in the Balkan Refugee and Migration Council (BRMC) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

Policy Paper: The Albanian Integration in the EU: The Case of Human Trafficking of Adults, March 2023