Serbia and Kosovo have both declared their intention to join the EU. However, despite some initial successes, such as the Brussels Agreement of 2013, the dialogue facilitated by the EU and initiated in 2011 has stalled. The reasons for the very limited results are multiple, ranging from the internal political situation in both countries, to ambiguous and asymmetrical expectations of the normalisation agreement. Currently, the most sensitive issue, the setting-up of the association/community of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, agreed in 2013, shows that the challenges are rooted deeply in history and have a much broader regional context.

EPRS podcast - Policy: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue: The rocky road towards a comprehensive normalisation agreement

The EU has developed a policy to support the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries with the Union. The EU aims to promote peace, stability and economic development in the region&nbsp;and open up the prospect of EU integration.

In order to apply for EU membership a country has to be European and respect the EU’s democratic values. It also needs stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the ability to take on and carry out the obligations of EU membership.

Parliament is fully involved in the Stabilisation and Association Process &nbsp;and must also consent to any new accession to the EU. In addition, through its budgetary powers, it has direct influence over the amounts allocated to the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs appoints standing rapporteurs for all candidate and potential candidate countries. Parliament expresses its positions on enlargement in the form of annual resolutions responding to the Commission’s latest annual country reports.

On 1&nbsp;July&nbsp;2013, Croatia became the first of the seven countries to join, and Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania are official candidates. Accession negotiations and chapters have been opened with Montenegro and Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.

EU Enlargement - Western Balkans

The European Union has played a leading role in the international effort to build a new future for Kosovo since 1999. Kosovo has a clear European perspective as part of the wider Western Balkans region. Since June 2000, all EU partners in the Western Balkans involved in the Stabilisation and Association process, which are not yet recognised as candidates, are considered potential candidates for EU membership. Currently, Kosovo is a potential candidate.

EU - Kosovo - 8th legislative term

Kosovo is a potential candidate for EU accession. It unilaterally declared its independence in February 2008.

All but five Member States (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain) have recognised Kosovo’s independence. In the region, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have not recognised Kosovo. A Visa Liberalisation Roadmap was issued in June 2012. In July 2018, the Commission confirmed that Kosovo had fulfilled the last criterion. The European Parliament followed suit and decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, which are ongoing. After a landmark agreement on normalising relations (the ‘Brussels Agreement’) was reached in April 2013 by Belgrade and Pristina, the European Council decided to open negotiations on an SAA with Kosovo in June 2013. The SAA entered into force on 1 April 2016. Kosovo’s future EU integration — like Serbia’s — remains closely linked to the EU-facilitated high-level dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which should lead to a legally binding comprehensive agreement on the normalisation of their relations.

See more on our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/eu-kosovo-8th-legislative-term_16303_pk">previous package</a> on the 8th legislative term.

EU - Kosovo (2019-2020)

12th EU-Kosovo SAPC Meeting.

12th EU-Kosovo SAPC Meeting

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo

Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, including the EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee and the EU-Kosovo Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee Constitutive meeting

Follow-up of the Citizen's Assembly on Disinformation - Kosovo - Study visit

AFET -  Exchange of views on the recent developments between Serbia and Kosovo

Delara Burkhardt meets with President of Kosovo Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU

EP Plenary session - Formal Sitting - Address by Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo

Othmar KARAS welcomes Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo

Press conference on the 2022 Commission Reports on Kosovo and Serbia

EP Plenary session - 2022 Report on Kosovo

Press conference on short-stay visa freedom between the EU and Kosovo

10th EU - Kosovo SAPC Meeting

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Albin KURTI, Kosovan Prime Minister

Lukas MANDL meets with Albin KURTI, Kosovan Prime Minister

AFET committee meeting - Exchange of views with BISLIMI, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo

Press conference on the 2021 reports on Serbia and Kosovo

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, receives Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo, during her official visit to the European Parliament in Brussels. This news item shows extracts from the arrival of President Osmani-Sadriu, welcome by President Metsola, family photo, signature of the Distinguished Visitor's book and meeting.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo: arrival, family photo and meeting

EP President, Roberta METSOLA, participates to the EU-Western Balkans Summit. Before her address to the Council, she speaks to the press. One year after the 2022 summit in Tirana, EU and Western Balkans leaders met in Brussels for their fourth annual summit. The summit is an opportunity to reaffirm the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans and also the need for partners’ sustained and irreversible reform achievements, underpinned by EU values and principles.

EU-Western Balkans Summit: Doorstep by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

MEPs vote on the following motions for resolution: Recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo; The despicable terrorist attacks of Hamas against Israel.

Voting session, including the motion for resolution on the despicable terrorist attacks of Hamas against Israel

Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo, addresses MEPs in a formal sitting in Strasbourg. On 3 June, the EU condemned in the strongest terms the violent acts in the north of Kosovo, where dozens of NATO peacekeepers were injured. It was sparked by Kosovo’s resolve to install newly appointed, ethnic-Albanian mayors into office in the north of the country after local Serbs boycotted the elections. The EU urged both Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate the situation immediately and stop using divisive rhetoric. Failure to do so would result in resolute measures, warned High Representative in his statement. Address by Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo

Address by Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo: Address by Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo

Roberta METSOLA gives her introductory statement in a formal sitting with Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo. On 3 June, the EU condemned in the strongest terms the violent acts in the north of Kosovo, where dozens of NATO peacekeepers were injured. It was sparked by Kosovo’s resolve to install newly appointed, ethnic-Albanian mayors into office in the north of the country after local Serbs boycotted the elections. The EU urged both Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate the situation immediately and stop using divisive rhetoric. Failure to do so would result in resolute measures, warned High Representative in his statement.

Formal Sitting with Vjosa OSMANI-SADRIU, President of Kosovo: introductory statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo, came to the European Parliament. She met with Roberta METSOLA, EP President. Later on, she addressed the plenary. Extracts from her arrival, welcome and roundtable with Roberta METSOLA. Extracts from the formal sitting.

Visit of Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo, to the European Parliament: meeting with Roberta METSOLA, EP President, extracts from the Formal sitting

MEPs debate Kosovo’s work to secure candidate country status and urge Serbia and Kosovo to engage in the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue to make progress on this.

2022 Report on Kosovo: MEPs debate

MEPs debate Kosovo’s work to secure candidate country status and urge Serbia and Kosovo to engage in the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue to make progress on this. Opening statements by Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Rapporteur and by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement.

2022 Report on Kosovo: opening statements by Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Rapporteur and by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

The Parliament votes on third countries whose nationals are subject to or exempt from a visa requirement: Kosovo - Thijs REUTEN (S&D, NL) and on Machinery products - Ivan ŠTEFANEC (EPP, SK)

Voting session (part 1)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Albin KURTI, Kosovan Prime Minister, in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg. Extracts from the arrival, welcome and roundtable

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Albin KURTI, Kosovan Prime Minister: arrival, welcome and roundtable

MEPs debate on the official start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania last July and to call on the EU to grant visa liberalisation to Kosovo. They are also likely to urge Serbia to align with the EU’s restrictive measures and policy towards Russia. first part of the debate.

EU-Western Balkans relations in light of the new enlargement package: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs debate on the official start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania last July and to call on the EU to grant visa liberalisation to Kosovo. They are also likely to urge Serbia to align with the EU’s restrictive measures and policy towards Russia. opening statements by Oliver VARHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement.

EU-Western Balkans relations in light of the new enlargement package: opening statement by Oliver VARHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

On the 14th September 2022, Ursula von der LEYEN, EC President, delivers her State of the European Union (SOTEU) speech in the European Parliament. This infoclip illustrates one of the main stake of the coming year: the future of the Europea Union. Following the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoe) which took place from May 2021 to May 2022, EU citizens have asked for a revision of the treaties and a reconstruction of the EU. Furthermore, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia have been granted the candidate status to join the EU, while discussions to enlarge the European Union to Western Balkans countries are ongoing.

Infoclip: Future of the European Union

Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK) and Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Rapporteurs hold a joint press conference in Strasbourg on their 2021 reports on Serbia and Kosovo.

Press conference by Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK) and Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Rapporteurs on 2021 reports on Serbia and Kosovo

MEPs assess the political situation Kosovo. Opening statements by Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Rapporteur and by Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management.

2021 Report on Kosovo: opening statements by Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Rapporteur, and by Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management

MEPs and the European Commission review together the latest developments in the Western Balkans and assess the political situation in three accession countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia. Extracts from the debates.

EU enlargement to Western Balkans - Political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia: extracts from the debates

&lt;p>EU and Western Balkan leaders meet in Brussels ahead of the June European Council meeting. Leaders discuss progress on EU integration and the challenges stemming from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.&lt;/p>

EU-Western Balkans leaders' meeting: arrival and doorstep by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo in the European Parliament, in Brussels.

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