Explaining policy implementation: challenges for Albania in preparing for EU membership

The objective of this research is to understand and explain the implementation process of transposed EU legal acts in Albania. As the country gets closer to EU membership, implementation challenges have increased, representing a major obstacle. The contribution of the analysis and findings of this study are both practical and theoretical. On one hand, it aims at reaching some sound conclusions on the factors that affect implementation performance and attempts to formulate possible recommendations for the Albanian case. On the other hand, it also contributes to the vast area of implementation studies by enriching it with an unexplored case, that of Albania. The study explores the policy implementation process by analysing the policy design stage and its shortcomings as the main argument. More specifically, it is focused on understanding the role of three factors when policies are drafted: administrative and coordination capacities, the effectiveness of involvement of non-state actors, and the contribution of EU representatives and expertise. Because of the theoretical propositions and the nature of the variables, the type of approach adopted is qualitative research. The strategy of inquiry, a single case study, makes use of two main methods: triangulation and process tracing. Accounts from participants are triangulated in order to grasp differences in their understanding of the process and the formal procedures followed. Process tracing is used to analyse and understand the policy from the drafting stage to its practical implementation. Four policy areas or acquis chapters were selected for the study: free movements of goods, competition policy, food safety, and environment. For each sector, specific EU legal acts were chosen as a sample to be explored in depth throughout the policy cycle. Based on the findings from all four areas, the study draws broader conclusions and implications on the policy implementation challenges facing the country.