On Tuesday at 10:00, COELA will meet again to discuss the IBAR report on Albania.
The Council of the European Union told A2CNN that member states are close to an agreement, although several countries have not yet given the green light to the draft EU Common Position, as proposed by the Union’s Presidency.
“The latest text appears to be stabilized, but it is entirely up to the Presidency to decide whether further changes are needed to satisfy all member states and achieve unanimity after tomorrow’s meeting,” the Council stated.
The response further notes that if an agreement is reached at today’s COELA meeting, the plan is for the file to be forwarded to COREPER on Friday (22 May) and, after approval of the EU Presidency’s draft, preparations for the Intergovernmental Conference would begin in the following days.
The final draft is now on the table and, according to diplomatic sources cited by A2CNN, it has changed significantly from the initial version proposed by the European Commission. The EU Presidency’s draft reportedly includes stricter criteria, particularly on anti-corruption measures, economic standards, and minority rights.
