PN country visit to Albania: advancing European integration and cooperation

On March 26th and 27th, 2024, the Practitioners' Network for European Development Cooperation (PN) will convene in Albania, with the aim of fostering European integration and cooperation in the country and the region. 

The visit is an opportunity for Network Members to link the main priorities of the Network with key activities and practices carried out by Members, their local partners and teams in Albania. It is the ideal forum to discuss and present effective examples of joint implementation in order to develop strategies for Working Better Together as part of a Team Europe approach, and for developing a reinforced and coordinated technical offer from Team Europe in Albania and the wider Balkans. Focusing on alignment of the EU acquis and good neighbourly relations, green agenda and sustainable connectivity and digital economy and society, the agenda unfolds with an array of engaging sessions with the European Commission featuring presentations, discussions, and a Q&A session on European development cooperation in the region, with key Albanian stakeholders, from the State Agency for Strategic Programming and Assistance Coordination of Albania, the Prime Minister's cabinet and Ministries. 

Key projects and activities will be showcased, bringing PN expertise and the EU together to explore operational experiences, ideas and methodologies, drawing on experiences with the European cooperation system and its implementation process. The visit will build knowledge through exchanges, coordination and policy harmonisation, providing feedback on policies from a practitioner’s perspective. Projects and activities that will be discussed include:  

Albania Energy Reform, Technical Assistance. by Expertise France. 

A Technical Assistance project was launched in October 2020 to support Albania developing a modern regulatory framework in the energy sector. Financed by the AFD, it focuses more specifically on strengthening the work of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, the Energy RegulatoryEntity (ERE) and the Energy Efficiency Agency (AEE) in Albania, in their endeavor to establishing a market environment based on the best international practices. Apart from capacity building activities, a major part of the project is to support the Policy Based Loan (funded by AFD and KfW) and envisaged policy reforms targeting multiple structural, operational and financial channels. Learn more 

EU for Nature project. by AICS and Sida. 

The Action is designed to contribute to the effective management of the protected areas as well as to the establishment of new protected areas as part of the preparation for the Natura 2000 network. The overall objective of the Action is to protect and conserve at least 25 per cent of the Albanian territory (at land and at sea), by 2030 - through establishing and implementing an effective system of protected areas, ecosystems connectivity and other effective area-based conservation measures. The focus is on areas particularly important for biodiversity. Learn more 

EU4Rivers / EU for Water. by ADA. 

The project specifically aims to increase Albania’s approximation with the EU water acquis. The overall objective of the project is to enhance the implementation of the National Water Reform and the progress of Albania towards meeting EU water legislation requirements – resulting in increased capacities for managing the sector in line with EU policies. Learn more 

ProSEED. by GIZ and Sida. 

Albania is on the threshold of transitioning towards a market economy, but it continues to struggle with high youth unemployment and growing migration trends. The business environment in Albania is mainly characterised by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). However, their contribution to the economic growth of the country is still small scale. ProSEED 2.0 joins forces with the co-funded project EU4Innovation. This Multi-Donor Action strives to improve the business environment, innovate the ecosystem and investment climate as well as increase the exposure of Albanian start-ups regionally and internationally. Learn more 

EU4INNOVATION. by GIZ and Sida. 

EU for Innovation' aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and to boost start up creation in Albania. The European Union, Germany and Sweden are working together with the Government of Albania to create more high paying jobs in Albania, by developing the innovation economy through EU4Innovation. Learn more 

21st Century Schools. by British Council. 

The 21st Century Schools is a regional British Council programme, funded by the UK Government, designed to increase digital literacy and coding skills, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving (CTPS) skills in 10 to 15-year-old students across the Western Balkan Six (WB6), aiming to train the next generation of tech entrepreneurs, innovators and independent learners. The programme has generated significant strategic benefits needed for education reform in the region, including putting digital transformation among education priorities, change in approaches to teaching and modernization in schools. Learn more 

For more updates and insights from the Network country visit, stay tuned to our social media channels.