Date of release : 14-04-2005

Policy area : Justice and Home Affairs Justice and Home Affairs

Event : Justice and Home Affairs Council

The agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Albania, regarding the readmission of illegal residents, was signed on the occasion of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 14 April 2005 in Luxembourg. The Luxembourgish Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Nicolas Schmit, and the Vice President of the Commission, Franco Frattini, represented the European Community, while the Albanian Minister for European Integration, Ermelinda Meksi represented the Republic of Albania.

For Nicolas Schmit, "the signature of the Community’s agreement with Albania, regarding the readmission of illegal residents, is a significant and encouraging signal." It constitutes a useful factor in the adoption a stabilisation and association agreement, towards which substantial progress has been made as part of the negotiations initiated with Albania since 31 January 2003.

In order to continue advancing on the path towards the "Process of Stabilisation and Association" (PSA), the European Community stressed the importance for Albania to undertake major and urgent reforms, particularly against organized crime, trafficking, and corruption; to strengthen the judicial system and public administration; to ensure the proper operation of democracy and preserve the political stability needed to rapidly implement reforms; to improve human and minority rights; to better normalise the economy and reform it; and to increase the viability of the budget situation by setting up more effective custom and tax administrations and a stronger legal framework.

As a general principle, this agreement states that each contracting State shall readmit within its borders its own nationals, who have been illegally residing in another contracting State. Thus, the goal of the readmission agreement is to define the practical terms and conditions for readmission.