Albania joined the Council of Europe in 1995 and ratified the European Charter for Local Self-Government (ETS No. 122) on 4 April 2000.

The Government of Albania embarked, in 2013, on major reforms in terms of administrative and territorial decentralisation and organisation, to which the Congress provided assistance. The Congress’ efforts as well as the mediation between associations made it possible to incorporate the right of local and regional authorities to be consulted into the 2015-2020 National Decentralisation Strategy and the Organic Law on Local Self-Government, adopted in December 2015.

It led to the establishment of the Consultative Council of Local and Central Authorities in January 2017. It was within the framework of this new body that the Albanian associations of local and regional authorities were provided with the opportunity to represent all local and regional authorities on a parity basis. The Law on Local Finances was discussed during the first meeting of the Consultative Council, and most of the proposals presented by the associations were taken into account in the final text, which came into force in May 2017. Subsequently, local authorities and their associations exchanged on the budgetary stances for 2018, the implementation of the national strategy for decentralisation and potential measures for environmental protection, among others.

The reforms of the Government were based on some of the provisions included in the Recommendation 349 on local and regional democracy in Albania, adopted by the Congress in October 2013. The activities organised by the Congress in Albania aimed at providing a pluralistic platform of discussion for local authorities on issues of common interest and to make their voices heard when related legislation is drafted and discussed.

The project "Strengthening local and regional government structures and co-operation of local elected representatives in Albania” was developed in the framework of the Council of Europe Co-operation Document for Albania 2012-2014 and implemented by the Congress in close partnership with the Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform.