Case Study On Integration Process Of Albania Towards Eu: Harmonisation Of Domestic Legislation With That Of EU

Abstract

Background: The road of Albania’s European Union integration process has been long and defiant. It started in 1993 with the approval of the Trade Agreement. The most important milestone was the signature of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) in June of 2006. Part of its implementation included the harmonisation of domestic legislation with that of the EU, established by Article 70 of this agreement. This is an important process for the final step of EU membership. Its importance relates to the fact that if the domestic legislation is not in compliance with the European legislation, the standards of this country cannot compete with those of other EU countries. As a result, it cannot become part of the EU. Methods: The introduction of the article, based on the descriptive method, gives an overview of domestic legislation in the framework of harmonisation. The second chapter, based on the analytic method, explains an example of law harmonisation in Albania in concrete terms. This example is based on the methodology used for the harmonisation of legislation. Based on these outcomes, the third section of the article explains the need for understanding and implementing the harmonised laws in Albania. Results and Conclusions: The identification of the approximation process gaps in the second section of the article translates to achievable goals shown in the conclusion. A better functioning of Albanian structural and administrative capacities is needed, requiring a dedicated additional budget and trained staff. In technical terms, the text of the trans- posed EC Directive should be inserted in the table of concordance of the Law. The same EU act, expected to be transposed, should also be mentioned in the preface of the draft proposal, similar to the practice in the European countries. After the approval of the har- monised national legislation with that of EU law, its implementation and enforcement are crucial. The most important part of the harmonisation of legislation lies in the impact these laws will have after their implementation. A data base on EU terminology for Alba- nian and English languages of the Treaty Establishing the EU and European Community, the SAA, the Interim Agreement, and the European Partnership should be established. The most important issue Albania faces regarding its internal market legislation is the adaption of their internal mechanisms to implement.