European Integration of Albania
European Integration of Albania
Western European Integration
Political Science 477
Spring 2013
Research question: How far away is Albania from becoming a member state of European Union? Albania has multiple challenges to achieve the full integrating in the European Union. But, there are two major challenges; 1) the economic challenges and 2) the political challenges that are obligatory to its integration in the European Union. The economy is a challenge for Albania because the farmers industry and the food industries are underdeveloped, as a result does not meet the European Union standers to compete in EU markets. On the other hand, the political aspects are imperative, because the trust and the stability of the political system is a very important factor for European Union to give the membership to Albania. “The problem for Albania and other applicant states in the Western Balkans region is twofold. First, attitudes to further enlargement have hardened. In short the environment in which enlargement is debated and framed has become much more brutal for all applicant states. EU conditionality penetrates deeper and deeper into domestic politics and make more and more demands on local policy-makers to deliver reform in advance of membership. In many respects the EU constitutes a classic ‘regime-maker’ and candidate state and SAP states ‘regime-takers’ in a classical construct of asymmetrical power relations. The second problem is that all states in the Western Balkans region are contending with acute and fundamental difficulties in basic state building.” (O’Brennan, 2009) The integration of Albania, in the European Union, rests on its ability to make radical changes to the economy and the government of the country. To be a member of the European Union, a country has to fulfill many requirements
Western European Integration
Political Science 477
Spring 2013
Research question: How far away is Albania from becoming a member state of European Union? Albania has multiple challenges to achieve the full integrating in the European Union. But, there are two major challenges; 1) the economic challenges and 2) the political challenges that are obligatory to its integration in the European Union. The economy is a challenge for Albania because the farmers industry and the food industries are underdeveloped, as a result does not meet the European Union standers to compete in EU markets. On the other hand, the political aspects are imperative, because the trust and the stability of the political system is a very important factor for European Union to give the membership to Albania. “The problem for Albania and other applicant states in the Western Balkans region is twofold. First, attitudes to further enlargement have hardened. In short the environment in which enlargement is debated and framed has become much more brutal for all applicant states. EU conditionality penetrates deeper and deeper into domestic politics and make more and more demands on local policy-makers to deliver reform in advance of membership. In many respects the EU constitutes a classic ‘regime-maker’ and candidate state and SAP states ‘regime-takers’ in a classical construct of asymmetrical power relations. The second problem is that all states in the Western Balkans region are contending with acute and fundamental difficulties in basic state building.” (O’Brennan, 2009) The integration of Albania, in the European Union, rests on its ability to make radical changes to the economy and the government of the country. To be a member of the European Union, a country has to fulfill many requirements
Bibliography: 1. Ciburri, Ramadan, and Albi kocibellie. “Albanian attitudes towards European Integration” Epoka University (2012) http://esj.epoka.edu.al/ESJ_2_3.pdf 2 3. Leick, Birgit. "Business Networks In The Cross-Border Regions Of The Enlarged EU: What Do We Know In The Post-Enlargement Era?." Journal Of Borderlands Studies 27.3 (2012): 299-314. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 4. Thomas Jensen, et al. "A New Dataset On Decision-Making In The European Union Before And After The 2004 And 2007 Enlargements (DEUII)." Journal Of European Public Policy 19.4 (2012): 604-622. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 5. Torgler, Benno. "Tax Morale, Eastern Europe And European Enlargement." Communist & Post-Communist Studies 45.1/2 (2012): 11-25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 6. Torgler, Benno. "Tax Morale, Eastern Europe And European Enlargement." Communist & Post-Communist Studies 45.1/2 (2012): 11-25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 7. Hurka, Steffen, and Michael Kaeding. "Report Allocation In The European Parliament After Eastern Enlargement." Journal Of European Public Policy 19.4 (2012): 512-529. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 8. LEUFFEN, DIRK, and ROBIN HERTZ. "If Things Can Only Get Worse: Anticipation Of Enlargement In European Union Legislative Politics." European Journal Of Political Research 49.1 (2010): 53-74. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 9. Dedja, Sokol. "The Working Of EU Conditionality In The Area Of Migration Policy: The Case Of Readmission Of Irregular Migrants To Albania." East European Politics & Societies 26.1 (2012): 115-134. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 10. Panagiotou, Ritsa. "Albania And The EU: From Isolation To Integration." Journal Of Balkan & Near Eastern Studies 13.3 (2011): 357-374. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. 12. Hoffmann, Judith. 2005. Integrating Albania: the Role of the European Union in the Democratization Process 13. Thiel, Elke (2004) : European Integration of Albania : Economic Aspects, working paper series on government and growth, No. 49 14 15. Towards EU Integration- The Albanian Impasse. Agenda Institute. Policy Brief No.2 (2007) http://www.agendainstitute.org/img/foto/agenda_policy_brief_no.2_en.pdf