Albania Gets Support from Meinl-Reisinger: Full EU Membership by 2030 is the Goal
Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Austria's Foreign Minister, wants to present her country as a reliable partner on Albania's path to the European Union. Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger reiterated this during her visit to Tirana, where she met with Prime Minister Edi Rama and her Albanian counterpart Elisa Spiropali.
Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (r.) met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (l.) in Tirana. / Picture: © BMEIA Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres / Michael Gruber / Flickr Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0 DEED)
The talks focused on Albania's ambitious roadmap for accession. Albanian Foreign Minister Elisa Spiropali reaffirmed the goal of concluding EU accession negotiations by 2027 and becoming a full member of the EU by 2030. Meinl-Reisinger congratulated Albania on its progress and the so-called “record pace” of the negotiation process: “Albania is a frontrunner in the enlargement negotiations.” The last cluster of negotiations was opened recently, which means that all negotiation chapters with the EU are now formally open.
Self-interest and security
The Foreign Minister emphasised that Austria's support was not just a “charitable act” but was in the “very best interests” of the EU and Austria: “More Europe means more prosperity and security for the EU and Austria.” Given the geopolitical situation, a strong Europe based on the rule of law is indispensable.
As an important foreign investor in Albania (especially in the banking, insurance, and energy sectors), Austria also sees EU rapprochement as an opportunity for greater predictability and new markets. Albanian Minister Spiropali emphasised the key role of Austrian investment and explained that the goal was to make the “Tirana-Vienna axis [...] much more dynamic in political, economic, and security terms.”
Gradual integration pays off
Meinl-Reisinger praised the concept of gradual integration, whereby the population should benefit from concrete advantages even before full accession. She cited Albania's recent accession to the Single European Payment Area (SEPA) as an outstanding example.
Participation in SEPA, which Albania reportedly completed at the end of 2024 or early October 2025, has drastically reduced the cost of transfers to the euro area. According to the Albanian National Bank, financial transactions are now up to five times cheaper, which is a major advantage for businesses and the Albanian diaspora.
Meinl-Reisinger cited the imminent abolition of roaming charges in Albania as the next important step in integrating the region with the EU.
Reforms as a benchmark for progress
Despite the good progress made, the Austrian Foreign Minister reminded her audience that reform efforts must continue. “Reforms in the area of the rule of law will determine the speed of the accession process,” explained Meinl-Reisinger. However, she positively highlighted that Albania already fully supports the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
In its 2025 enlargement package, the European Commission confirmed Albania's ambitious course, but also called for further efforts to meet the interim targets. Austria's assurance that it will “continue to be a close partner on Albania's European path” underscores the importance of the entire Western Balkans for the long-term stability of Europe.