Albania between containment and cooperation: a laboratory for the externalisation of European migration policies

In recent years Albania has undergone a significant transformation – from a country primarily of emigration to an active site of transit and containment within broader European migration dynamics. Since 2018, its cooperation with Frontex and, more recently, a 2023 agreement with Italy to establish migrant reception centres on Albanian soil have marked pivotal developments in the externalisation of EU border control. This article explores Albania as a case study in the shifting landscape of migration governance, employing a normative framework, secondary data, and original fieldwork – including interviews with institutional stakeholders and activists – to examine the implications for national sovereignty, international cooperation, and the protection of migrants’ rights.