• Berlin Process – 2014

Albania is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including: Butrint, a fascinating ancient city in Saranda, along with the historic towns of Gjirokastra and Berat. Butrint has been recognized by UNESCO since 1992 and is part of the RAMSAR Convention.

Since 2014, Albania has played a significant role in discussions regarding regional integration and the advancement of the Western Balkan countries' EU membership process. This summit provided a platform for the exchange of ideas and efforts to strengthen cooperation and economic ties between the countries of the region and the EU, aiming for sustainable and long-term integration.

• Berlin Process Summit in Tirana - 2023

On 16 October 2023, Tirana made history by hosting the Berlin Process Summit, a momentous event that brought together leaders from the Western Balkans and the European Union to strengthen regional cooperation and accelerate the path to EU integration. This was the first time the summit took place in the Western Balkans, a clear recognition of Albania’s growing role in shaping the region’s future.

At the heart of discussions was the Common Regional Market, a key initiative aimed at creating a more integrated and competitive Western Balkans economy, closely aligned with EU standards. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to breaking down trade barriers, improving cross-border cooperation, and fostering a business-friendly environment that would attract investment and drive economic growth. A major highlight was the endorsement of the Growth Plan, a transformative initiative that offers the Western Balkans increased access to the EU Single Market in exchange for key economic and governance reforms.

Beyond economics, the summit placed a strong emphasis on education, youth, and professional development. One of the most celebrated announcements was the establishment of a College of Europe campus in Tirana, a milestone that will provide young people from across the region with world-class training in European affairs. In parallel, the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications was signed, making it easier for professionals such as doctors, engineers, and architects to work across the region without bureaucratic obstacles. Additionally, the EU-Western Balkans Roaming Agreement was welcomed, as it significantly reduces mobile roaming costs, bringing tangible benefits to businesses and citizens alike.

• EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana - 2022

For the first time, a high-level European Union summit was held in a non-EU member state, the EU-Western Balkans Summit. This summit strengthened Albania’s position as a key actor in the region and contributed to deepening regional cooperation, demonstrating Albania's commitment to further developing political and economic ties with the EU.

The summit also addressed some of the most pressing issues facing both the EU and the Western Balkans, including:

• • Energy security, with a focus on reducing dependence on external sources and increasing renewable energy investments.
• • Migration management, where leaders pledged stronger cooperation on border security and legal migration pathways.
• • The fight against organized crime and cyber threats, underscoring the need for increased intelligence sharing and law enforcement collaboration.

For Albania, hosting the EU-Western Balkans Summit was more than just a diplomatic success-it was a symbol of its European aspirations and a testament to its growing influence in regional affairs. The summit reinforced Albania’s pivotal role in shaping the Western Balkans’ future, demonstrating its readiness to contribute to a stable, prosperous, and integrated Europe.

In February 2024, the Regional Summit on the Growth and Convergence Plan took place in Tirana, focusing on the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union, as well as the implementation of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, with the participation of leaders from the region and representatives from international institutions.

Also in February 2024, at the invitation of Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, the “Ukraine – Southeastern Europe” Summit was held in Tirana, with the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with other leaders from Southeastern Europe, who reconfirmed their continued military and financial support for Ukraine.

• Stabilization and Association Council

The Stabilization and Association Council is the high supervisory body for the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between Albania and the European Union. The 12th meeting of this council, held in 2023, was hosted for the first time in a candidate country, highlighting Albania's progress in fulfilling its commitments towards EU integration and strengthening its bilateral relations with the Union.

Albania continues to play an utmost and active role in regional cooperation, fulfilling its obligations to all mechanism of this cooperation. In 2024, Albania chaired 4 presidencies, such as presidency of the Central European Initiative (1 year), the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (January-June 2024), the Southeast European Cooperation Process (July 2024-June 2025), and the Asylum-Migration and Refugee Initiative (July 2024-June 20205).

In this regard, this year, Albania aims to successfully conclude the SEECP and MARRI presidencies in June 2025. Chairing the presidencies of regional initiatives strengthens Albania's image in regional cooperation.

• SEECP (June 2024 - July 2025)

The Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) is the main forum for Southeast Europe, bringing together countries of strategic importance to Albania. By assuming the SEECP Chairmanship, Albania reaffirms its active role in this regional initiative. The priorities of the Tirana SEECP Chairmanship focus on strengthening regional cooperation, accelerating the EU integration process, and promoting sustainable development. In 2024, key events were organized across both political and parliamentary dimensions. In the political sphere, an informal meeting of SEECP Foreign Ministers, Political Directors’ meetings, and a Troika meeting were held. On the parliamentary side, the Steering Committee Meeting of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly took place, along with multiple sectoral meetings in the field of tourism, culture, infrastructure, education, cyber security, economic growth and Common Regional market.

The Albanian Presidency in office will host an MFA meeting and a Summit of Heads of State on 16 June 2025. SEECP Summit in Tirana will provide a good opportunity for the SEECP participants to share visionary views on the topic “Fostering Stability and Prosperity through Regional Cooperation and EU Integration.” The discussion of the Summit will be focused on the regional cooperation and the EU enlargement as a pillar of peace, democracy, and shared prosperity for the entire Southeast European region.

• MARRI (June 2024 - July 2025)

The Presidency of the Migration, Asylum, and Refugees Initiative (MARRI) will reaffirm Albania’s role in managing migration issues in the Western Balkans and enhancing border security in the region. The priorities of the Albanian MARRI Presidency focus on strengthening MARRI’s institutional efficiency through enhanced regional cooperation and visibility, finalizing legal reforms, preventing human trafficking, and building capacity in the field of asylum. Throughout 2024, meetings on the initiative’s legal reform and sessions of the MARRI Regional Committee with representatives of Foreign Ministries were organized. Additionally, in 2025, the Forum of Interior Ministers of the initiative’s member countries will take place.