The leading European powers of the time recognised Albania's independence at the 1913 London Peace Conference, where it was decided that the Dutch would take responsibility for internal security.

[5] The Socialist People's Republic of Albania started their diplomatic relations with the Netherlands, and eight other Western European countries, in 1970.

Groups of Albanian politicians and officials, from both national and local level, would attend the Hague for workshops with their Dutch peers where they discussed the practice of good governance and administration within the democratic framework.

At the end of their visit, they stated that fulfilling the five official conditions set by the European institutions is not enough to warrant opening EU accession negotiations.

A large majority in the Dutch parliament prohibited the government from allowing Albania to start negotiations, over ‘serious concerns about combating corruption’.