(19/06/06) EU SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH ALBANIA. (Balkan Watch)

• 2006-06-27
• Europa in de wereld

The EU announced that it had signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Albania, deepening relations between Tirana and Brussels. This agreement will allow greater security and economic cooperation between the EU and Albania. Some analysts consider this agreement as an early precursor to an eventual Albanian application to join the EU. Additionally, the EU formally began membership talks with Croatia, which has been considered a candidate country for some time. Croatia hopes to join the EU in 2009. Privately, however, several EU diplomats stated that Croatia’s goal of joining in 2009 might be over-optimistic. France and the Netherlands have rejected referenda to approve a constitution further deepening EU integration. Some analysts are concerned that the lack of a constitution might limit the ability of the EU to continue accepting new members, including those in the Western Balkans and even Romania and Bulgaria, which are scheduled to join next year.