On December 11, 2012, after rejecting the European Commission's (EC) recommendation that Albania should receive conditional EU candidate status, the European Council pledged to grant that status only if Albania demonstrated progress in the areas of judicial, public administration and parliamentary reforms. The Council called for particular focus on conducting the June 2013 national elections in accordance with European and international standards; strengthening the independence, efficiency and accountability of judicial institutions; continuing to make determined efforts in the fight against corruption and organized crime, including pro-active investigations and prosecution in view of developing a solid track record; and instituting effective measures to reinforce the protection of human rights and anti-discrimination policies, especially in the area of equal treatment of minorities and implementation of property rights. The Council's rejection came under staunch opposition from the Netherlands against Albania's candidacy, even though on October 10, the EU commissioner for enlargement Štefan Füle had communicated that the EC already recommended granting Albania the status of EU candidate country, subject to key judicial and public administration reforms and the revision of parliamentary rules of procedures.

Thus, as of the fall of 2012, for the third straight year, Albania was denied EU candidate status. In his visit to Tirana in early February 2013, Füle reiterated the free election theme, emphasizing that “[t]he successful conduct of parliamentary elections in 2013 will be a crucial test for the smooth functioning of the country's democratic institutions.”