Support to Albania on Return and Visa Issues

This project aims at further strengthening the Albanian Government (GoA) capacity to effectively manage emigration and return processes, as envisaged within the context of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union (EU) and the National Strategy on Migration. Albania is the first European country to have entered into a Readmission Agreement with the EU, and to have recently signed a visa facilitation agreement with the EU. Both initiatives require Albania to set in place a number of migration management measures, in order to address irregular migration and to strengthen border management capacity. The three project components of the proposed action are intended to assist in meeting these needs through a) support to return and readmission management, b) profiling returnees and the challenges of sustainable reintegration, and c) assessing progress in the visa facilitation arrangements and ensuing requirements for visa liberalization measures. The proposed activities foresee needs assessments, capacity building and training, scoping studies and awareness raising on the different requirements for pursuing regular migration arrangements with the EU. One of the components will qualify as co-funding towards the project: “Building on Mechanisms to effectively and sustainably implement Readmission Agreements between Albania, the European Commission and concerned third countries (AENEAS 2004)”.