Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions that have been held with Albania on the accession talks with the EU; the outcome of the talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44892/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I had a brief meeting with the Albanian Foreign Minister Edmond Panariti on 27 September during the UN General Assembly in New York when he updated me on Albania’s reform efforts and on regional cooperation. I indicated, in response, that we look forward to working with him during our forthcoming EU Presidency. A more detailed discussion on the question of Albania’s relationship with the EU took place the following day when Minister of State Lucinda Creighton T.D. visited Tirana as part of a five day official visit to the region. She was there both as the representative of the Chair in Office of the OSCE and to build working relationships with some of the key interlocutors involved in Albania’s progress towards the EU, in the context of Ireland’s Presidency next year.

She met with Prime Minister Sali Berisha and with Minister for Integration Majlinda Bregu, both of whom reiterated their commitment to EU integration and set out the progress that had been achieved in Albania’s reform process over the past year. They expressed the hope that this would result in the granting of candidate status later this year. Minister Creighton welcomed the progress made. She also reiterated the OSCE’s readiness to continue supporting Albania in addressing outstanding issues in the areas related to judicial reform, the fight against corruption and strengthening the rule of law, all of which are important in the context of the country’s EU aspirations.

Since then, the Commission’s assessment, in its report on enlargement issued on 10 October, was that Albania has indeed made good progress. The Commission has recommended candidate status subject to completion of a number of key measures in the areas of judicial and public administration reform and revision of the parliamentary rules of procedure. The Commission is to report further to the Council as soon as the necessary progress has been achieved.

The Commission’s report of 10 October will now be considered by EU member States with a view to taking decisions on its recommendations at the General Affairs and European Council meetings in December.