The European Union will organise an international donors' conference in Brussels on 17 February for the reconstruction of Albania after the earthquake that devastated the country at the end of November. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was "happy to announce" this news on Friday 10 January in Zagreb at the end of the meeting of the College of Commissioners. "The European Union stands by its Western Balkans partners", she added at a press conference.