Municipalities for Europe is the new project funded by the European Union in Albania with the aim to support the establishment of an EU focal desk in each of the 61 municipalities. 

The initiative, that is expected to be operational in spring 2017, is expected to be instrumental in reaching out to Albanian citizens and local administrations with information about the EU, its policies, and programs. While the focus will be on providing EU related knowledge, in particular on how to increase Albania's local government authorities absorption capacity of EU funds and programs, there will be activities aimed at facilitating a networking and sharing of experiences among municipalities and dialogue with the central Government and the EU. In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed today between Mayors and Members of the Albanian Government.

The EU-funded project was launched in the framework of the Workshop on The Role of Local Governments in the EU integration process, co-organised by the EU Instrument of Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) and the Albanian Minister of State for Local Issues. The aim of the workshop, with participation from all municipalities, was to raise awareness and increase the knowledge of Albanian local authorities about their role in the EU integration process, including in the implementation of EU legislation. The seminar focussed on local economic development measures and fiscal decentralisation policy. Experts from Germany and Poland presented best practises and provided recommendations aimed at a strategic implementation of the decentralisation process. Two parallel sessions were organised on strategic planning, financial systems as well as business promotion and local employment strategies.

"Local level is where citizens and authorities are closest to each other. Most implementation of EU acquis happens at the local level. Politically, bringing the EU closer to citizens and local governments is key to Albania's EU aspiration" said EU Ambassador to Albania Romana Vlahutin during her opening remarks.

“I have always been convinced that the European integration begins with the citizens and their families, extending to neighbourhoods, cities, municipalities where they live, and to the entire country. In this sense, municipalities as the closest to the local citizens become thus the crucial bridge in the process of our integration into the large European family”, said the Albanian Minister of State for Local Issues Mr. Bledi Çuçi.

The Minister of European Integration Klajda Gjosha highlighted that there are on average EUR 10 million per year optional to be absorbed directly from the government units in Albania if they apply and submit project-proposals in the framework of the Territorial Cooperation Programmes.

“It is essential to set up integration units and projects near each municipality, to establish the coordinators, to keep constantly contacts with these people and the Ministry of European Integration which informs, directs and coordinates the process of calls for proposals in the framework of these programmes”, said the Minister of European Integration.

The EU stands ready to provide further assistance regarding the capacity building of local governments through workshops on other fields that are important for the municipalities and the people of Albania.

The EU is also the biggest donor to the UNDP implemented project "Support to Territorial and Administrative Reform", STAR. In the second phase of this project that has just began, the EU supports the implementation of civil service legislation at local level, the increase of service delivery efficiency, and the inclusion of citizens in the local decision making. Citizens will be able to feel improvements concretely, in particular through the establishment of "one stop shops".