The Government approves the Schengen Action Plan for the period 2026-2030

2026-01-29 22:25:00, Politikë CNA

The Albanian government has approved the Schengen Action Plan for the period 2026-2030.

The decision has also been published in the Official Gazette ( Read here)

Based on the document, the Schengen Action Plan (SAP) is described as the central tool guiding Albania's efforts.

According to the definitions, this plan plays a dual role: it helps the country meet EU accession standards, while also preparing for accession to the Schengen area .

Pillars of the plan

Border management: Modernization of infrastructure at crossing points and full harmonization of legislation with that of the EU.

Information systems: Creation of interoperable databases with European systems (SIS, VIS), increasing cybersecurity.

Visa policy: Alignment of Albania's visa regime with the common EU policy.

Return policy: Increasing efficiency in the return of irregular migrants and respecting human rights.

Firearms: Full harmonization of the law on weapons with the EU acquis and their digital tracking.

Anti-corruption: Reform for staff integrity at border crossings and law enforcement agencies.

Weapons control, digitalization and tracing; One of the major priorities remains the rigorous control of firearms. According to the document, Albania has already registered over 75% of weapon owners in the national electronic registry “SIMA”. However, the new objective for the period 2026-2030 is full harmonization with EU legislation. For this, the State Police will use advanced systems such as Interpol’s “iBase” and “iArms”, as well as the new “Traffic” system for ballistic information.

Anti-corruption, focus on high-risk sectors: Chapter 10 of the document is dedicated to the functioning of anti-corruption authorities. The new 2024-2030 strategy targets the most problematic areas: property, public procurement, health, education and customs.

Justice: In the field of criminal justice, Albania confirms the deepening of cooperation with Eurojust and the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). The document assesses that Albania is a leader in the Western Balkans in the number of joint investigation teams. The objective is that by 2027, Albanian legislation on judicial cooperation will be fully harmonized with that of the EU, facilitating extraditions and mutual recognition of judicial decisions.

Financing and monitoring: The cost of this radical transformation will be covered by the State Budget and donor funds (EU). To guarantee success, the plan foresees two key control moments: a mid-term evaluation at the end of 2027 and a final evaluation in 2030. /CNA