The Road to Brussels: Does Albania have what it takes to become an EU Member?

Albania is seeking to join the EU after beginning accession talks in July 2022. But does Tirana meet all of the European Union's criteria?

Transcript

00:00 Albania is one of nine countries that want to join the EU, the world's biggest single

00:10 market. To be accepted, they have to protect the EU's democratic values. That means stable

00:16 political institutions, upholding the rule of law and respecting human and minority rights.

00:23 Candidate countries also need a functioning market economy. This requires macroeconomic

00:28 stability, high quality economic governance, a proper labour market and sufficient infrastructure.

00:35 Countries must be ready for the market forces and competitive pressures of being inside

00:39 the bloc. In the case of the Western Balkans, the EU has a special process designed to promote

00:45 political stability and regional cooperation. Even if a country has aligned with Europe,

00:51 accession is not automatic. To join the EU can take years and depends on the approval

00:56 of all member states and the European Parliament.

00:59 (upbeat music)