Programme

09:00–09:30     Registration of participants

09:30–11:00     Inaugural session

     Welcoming remarks by

  • Ionut SIBIAN, Vice-President of the External Relations Section (REX) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
  • Olta MANJANI, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (video message)

     Opening remarks by

  • Violeta JELIĆ and Juliana HOXHA, cochairs of the EU-Albania Joint Consultative Committee (JCC)

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     Current state of play in EU-Albania relations: 2025 Enlargement Package and Albania Report

  • Hubert DUHOT, Deputy Head of Unit for Albania and North Macedonia, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission (DG ENEST)
  • Admira JORGJI, Deputy Head of Mission of Albania to the European Union, Minister Plenipotentiary
  • Debate

11:00–11:15     Coffee break

11:15–12:15     Reform Agenda (RA) for Albania and the implementation of the Growth plan for the Western Balkans

  • Andrew WILLIAMS, Unit for Albania and North Macedonia, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission (DG ENEST)
  • Andrej ZORKO, co-rapporteur of the EESC opinion Civil Society’s Role in the Growth Plans for the Western Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine and rapporteur of the EESC opinion Paving the way to EU accession for the Western Balkans
  • Lorela SIMONI, representative of the State Agency for Strategic Programming and Aid Coordination (SASPAC) (online)
  • Koli SINJARI, Executive Director, BusinessAlbania - Representative of employers’ organisations
  • Arjola ALIKA, Vice President, Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania - Representative of the trade union organisations

12:15-13:00     Cluster 1: The Fundamentals of the Accession Process: fulfilment of interim benchmarks

  • Vincent REY, Unit for Albania and North Macedonia, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission (DG ENEST)
  • Tedi DOBI, Deputy Minister of Justice of Albania (online)
  • Gledis GJIPALI, Executive Director, European Movement in Albania - Representative of Civil Society Organisations
  • Debate

13:00–14:30     Lunch break

14:30–16:00     Overview of the civil society situation in Albania, including social dialogue

  • Ionuţ SIBIAN, rapporteur of the EESC opinion on the importance of institutionalizing civic and social dialogue in EU candidate and partner countries and EESC opinion on the role of civil society in EU-Albania relations
  • Andras BRAUN, Unit for Albania and North Macedonia, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission (DG ENEST)
  • Lidija PAVIĆ-ROGOŠIĆ, member of the study groups on the EESC opinion on the role of social partners and civil society in applicant countries and the Cohesion policy and EU Enlargement
  • Juliana HOXHA, Director, PartnersAlbania - Representative of Civil Society Organisations
  • Koli SINJARI, Executive Director, BusinessAlbania - Representative of employers’ organisations
  • Anisa SUBASHI, Vice President, Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania - Representative of the trade union organisations
  • Debate

16:00 - 16:30    Adoption of the Joint declaration

End of meeting