The Study on the implementation of the partnership principle within the EU Cohesion Policy in candidate countries

We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Study on the implementation of the partnership principle within the EU Cohesion Policy in candidate countries.

We contributed to the study in the capacity of Luiza Hoxhaj, as National Expert for Albania and Executive Director of CRLDS, with responsibility for the development of the Albania country component across all analytical pillars. This included documentary research and policy analysis; an assessment of the national framework in the context of EU integration, with specific reference to Chapter 22 on Cohesion Policy; the design and implementation of qualitative interviews with a wide range of stakeholders — including civil society organisations, local and regional authorities, programme-level actors, and the EU Delegation — as well as the preparation of the Albania country fiche.

The study was officially presented on 4 February at the premises of DG REGIO in Brussels, with the participation of stakeholders from the nine candidate countries covered by the study, as well as representatives of the nine Interreg and cross-border cooperation programmes involved.

The study provides robust evidence to support the effective alignment of the partnership principle with EU Cohesion Policy objectives and the EU enlargement process.