The European Parliament and the European future of Albania

• Author: Skerdilajd Bajramaj
• Position: Company KESH sh.a.
• Pages: 115-122

ISSN 2410-3918 Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences Vol 1 No 2

Acces online at www.iipccl.org IIPCCL Publishing, Tirana-Albania July 2015

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e European Parliament and the European future of Albania

Skerdilajd Bajramaj

Company KESH sh.a.

Abstract

On 06.24.2014 Albania was granted the status of candidate country. e foreign ministers of the

28 European Union member states decided unanimously to grant the candidate status for Albania.

Aer receiving the status of “candidate country” for EU membership, the institutional relations

with European international bodies are becoming stronger. One of these institutions, which during

this time has increased its authority with Albania, is the European Parliament. In this paper will be

analyzed the composition, competences and functioning of this particular institution, which is not

only important for the future of the European Union and its Member States, but also for those who

aim to join in. e study will be based on decisions made by this legislative body, as the only direct

representative of the citizens of the European Union, and the impact they have on the performance

and functioning of the Member States and the EU itself.

In order to verify the validity of these claims, the analysis aims to assess the scope of the legislative

function of the European Parliament post-Lisbon, examining its participation in the EU law-

making both from the point of view of quantity and quality in over the past legislatures. Particular

attention has been given to the examination of the changes that have taken place with the entry

into force of the Lisbon Treaty, and the areas most aected.

We will nally look at the work and contribution of the European Parliament, through the

instruments at his disposal, on behalf of Albania’s progress towards full accession in the European

Union.

Key words: European Parliament, European Union, Legislature.

Introduction

It was originally born as a Common Assembly of the ECSC (European Coal and Steel

Community) on 18 April 1951 in Strasbourg. It consists of 78 members nominated by

the governments of the 6 member states (of that time), aer consulting their national

parliaments.

From 1979, it was decided that member states may hold elections and the elected members

of the European Parliament should have 5-year term of oce. Over the years, the number

of EU members was increased and therefore also its importance.

Actually, European Parliament is the only directly-elected body of the European Union.

e 751 Members of the European Parliament are there to represent the citizens of EU.

ey are elected once every ve years by voters right across the 28 Member States of the

European Union on behalf of its 500 million citizens. A clear distinction with national

parliaments is fact that the EP consists of Interstate fractions, such as the European

Popular Parties- or Socialist- and Social Democratic Party fraction.

e European Parliament is an important forum for political debate and decision-making

in the EU level. e Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by voters