title: Adriatic Charter
text: # Adriatic Charter
  
  The Adriatic Charter is an association formed by Albania, Croatia, North Macedonia and the United States for the purpose of aiding their attempts to join NATO. The Charter was signed on 2 May 2003 in Tirana under the aegis of the United States. The role of the United States has caused some confusion; in discussions in the other member states, the Charter is often called the U.S.-Adriatic Charter. In September 2008 Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina were invited to join the Charter and joined on December 4, 2008. Serbia accepted observer status at the same time. On 1 April 2009, Albania and Croatia became the first of the group to join NATO. On 5 June 2017, Montenegro joined NATO. On 27 March 2020, North Macedonia joined NATO.
  
  ## Members
  
  Joined 2003
  
  * Albania (NATO member since 2009)
  * Croatia (NATO member since 2009)
  * North Macedonia (NATO member since 2020)
  * United States (NATO founder)
  
  Joined 2008
  
  * Bosnia and Herzegovina
  * Montenegro (NATO member since 2017)
  
  ### Observers
  
  Since 2008
  
  * Serbia
  
  Since 2012
  
  * Republic of Kosovo (2012 applied for Adriatic Charter membership)
  