22/05/2026 (Agence Europe) – The European Union and Albania will hold the 8th Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Tuesday 26 May to mark Albania’s fulfilment of the intermediate criteria of the Fundamental Rights Thematic Working Group and to set the closing criteria for this group, which covers five chapters of the negotiations (justice and fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security, public procurement, financial control and statistics). This Intergovernmental Conference was made possible by the green light given on Friday 22 May by the ambassadors of the EU Member States (Coreper) to the relevant EU common position. In particular, this will pave the way for Albania to begin closing certain negotiation chapters and sets of chapters once it has met the required conditions. Albania hopes to join the European Union in 2030. (APH)