EU DISBURSES €100 MILLION TO ALBANIA UNDER THE EU GROWTH PLAN

Albania has made significant progress in implementing its Reform and Growth Agenda under the EU’s Growth Plan, by fulfilling 21 out of the planned 41 reform measures (51%) between December 2024 and June 2025. This has led the European Commission to disburse €99.3 million under the Reform and Growth Facility, making Albania the top performer in the region for this reporting period.

The payment, which was announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Tirana last week, proves that Albania has implemented sustainable structural reforms in key areas such as energy, digitalisation, competitiveness, sustainable development, and economic integration. 

The funds will support Albania’s efforts to further drive economic growth and strengthen public institutions. Specifically:

• €46.2 million are provided as a loan credited directly to the Treasury for reform implementation;
• €54.1 million (comprising €28.5 million in grants and €24.6 million in loans) are channelled through the EU’s Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) to support infrastructure development projects.

“The EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is delivering results in Albania. The country is making solid progress through the Reform and Growth Agenda — and the EU is responding in kind. This new €100 million disbursement matches the steps that Albania has taken to advance reforms that bring tangible benefits to its citizens. Other Growth Plan initiatives are also delivering results: Albania’s banking system has adopted SEPA standards, reducing transaction costs for citizens, and next year we will complete free Wi-Fi installations in all municipalities and eliminate roaming charges between the EU and Albania,” said EU Ambassador to Albania Silvio Gonzato.

“The first results of the Reform and Growth Facility represent an important indicator of how the EU’s new mechanism is being implemented in practice in Albania. They demonstrate the strengthening of planning, reporting, and implementation capacities, the increase of institutional transparency, and the efficiency of cooperation between Albanian institutions and the European Commission — all essential elements of Albania’s path toward EU membership,” said Eridana Cano, National Coordinator of the Reform and Growth Facility in Albania.

The Reform and Growth Facility operates on a six-month reporting cycle. Albania will submit its next report in early 2026, providing evidence of reforms implemented between June and December 2025. The European Commission will then assess progress, and fully achieved measures will be considered for the next disbursement under the Facility, planned for spring next year.

About the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans

The EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is an initiative launched by the European Commission in 2023 to accelerate the region’s economic convergence with the European Union and bring the benefits of European integration to citizens even before accession. It combines reform incentives with financial support of up to €6 billion for the region and up to €1 billion for Albania for the period 2024–2027. The Plan supports the gradual integration of Western Balkan economies into the EU’s Single Market and provides funding through the Reform and Growth Facility, based on partners’ progress in implementing agreed reforms in areas such as energy transition, digitalisation, rule of law, competitiveness, and human capital development.