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Aligning Albania’s Media Regulatory Framework with European Digital Standards

In a significant step towards modernising Albania's media landscape, the European Union and Council of Europe, in close co-operation with the Albanian Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA), hosted a two-day roundtable in Tirana.

Representatives from AMA, government officials, and experts from the Council of Europe gathered to explore how Albanian legislation can harmonise with EU norms and Council of Europe standards. The sessions provided an in-depth look at the key provisions of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), especially as they pertain to video-sharing platforms, and examined strategies for effective institutional co-ordination in digital regulation.

Participants benefitted from comparative insights and practical examples shared by Francesco Di Giorgi, Senior Legal Officer at the Italian media regulatory authority AGCOM, with a focus on supervision, monitoring, and enforcement under EU law on digital services. The expert-led sessions enabled AMA staff and key stakeholders to identify legislative gaps, discuss implementation strategies, and develop concrete recommendations for strengthening regulatory oversight and compliance in the digital environment.

Interactive discussions and exercises enabled participants to develop actionable strategies for enhancing Albania’s regulatory environment, contributing directly to the country’s ongoing media reforms.

This workshop was organised by the Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression under the the joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Protecting Freedom of Expression and of the Media in Albania” (PROFREX-A)”, part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

Tirana / Albania 21-22 January 2026
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What is the Horizontal Facility?

The joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” (Horizontal Facility III) is a co-operation initiative and one of the results of the Statement of Intent signed on 1 April 2014 by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the European Union Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, in which both Organisations agreed to further strengthen their co-operation in key areas of joint interest.

The programme is ongoing since 2016 and the third phase begun in January 2023 for a period of 48 months. The third phase of the programme (worth €41 million (85% funded by the EU, 15% by the CoE) keeps building on the results of the previous phases and it combines Beneficiary-specific and regional actions.

It enables the Beneficiaries to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.

Themes covered by the Horizontal Facility include:

  • strengthening justice
  • fighting corruption, economic crime and money laundering
  • promoting anti-discrimination and protection of the rights of vulnerable groups (including LGBTI, minorities and Roma) and
  • promoting and protecting freedom of expression and media

The Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism that provides legislative expertise and policy advice within the Council of Europe system remains also an important part of the programme available to all Beneficiaries.

The Horizontal Facility relies on the Council of Europe’s unique working methods, whereby tailor-made technical co-operation activities are based on conclusions and recommendations of the Council of Europe’s monitoring bodies highlight areas where improvements are needed in legislation and policies of the Beneficiaries to comply with the Organisation’s treaties and other standards.

 

Which Horizontal Facility actions are being implemented in Albania?

In Albania, the following actions are currently being implemented:

  • Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice in Albania (SEJ IV)
  • Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania (D-REX III)
  • Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania
  • Action against economic crime in Albania
  • Advancing the protection from discrimination in Albania 
  • Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in Albania (PRO-FREX-A)