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

EU - Kosovo

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

David SASSOLI, EP President, meets with Albin KURTI, Prime Minister of Kosovo, since March 2021.

David SASSOLI, EP President, meets with Albin KURTI, Prime Minister of Kosovo: Arrival, welcome and roundtable

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Miroslav LAJCAK, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina in the European Parliament in Brussels: arrival, welcome; and roundtable

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Miroslav LAJCAK, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina: arrival, welcome; and roundtable

Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) hold an exchange of views with the Speakers of the Parliaments from the Western Balkans on the key role of Parliaments in the EU enlargement proces, in Brussels. Extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments.

2nd European Parliament - Western Balkans Speakers Summit: extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments

David SASSOLI, EP President, invites speakers from the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to meet for the Summit of EP - Western Balkans’ Speakers of Parliament. They debate the role that parliaments should play in EU post-COVID-19 enlargement.

2nd EP - Western Balkans Speakers' summit chaired by David SASSOLI, EP President; arrivals, roundtable, signing of joint declaration of Western Balkans Speakers Summit 2021 and family photo

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Albin KURTI, Kosovar Prime Minister in the European Paliament in Brussels. Welcome and roundtable.

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Albin KURTI, Kosovar Prime Minister: welcome and roundtable

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Albania rapporteur; Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Kosovo rapporteur; Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG), North Macedonia rapporteur and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), Serbia rapporteur. After that, statements also by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs. (This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery).

Joint debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG) and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK)

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: MEPs debate

Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), EP Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo, and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), EP Standing Rapporteur for Serbia, give a press conference after they presented their reports in a joint debate during the plenary session. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Press conference by Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), EP Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo, and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), EP Standing Rapporteur for Serbia

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Vjosa OSMANI, acting President and Speaker of the Parliament of Kosovo, in the European Parliament, in Brussels.

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Vjosa OSMANI, acting President and Speaker of the Parliament of Kosovo: roundtable

The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) exchange views with Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime Minister, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

EU - Kosovo: extracts from the exchange of views with Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime Minister

Visit of Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime Minister to the European Parliament in Brussels. Arrival, welcome by David SASSOLI, EP President and roundtable.

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Avdullah HOTI, Kosovar Prime Minister: arrival and roundtable

Speakers of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia as well as the president of Croatia’s Parliament gather to discuss the Western Balkans’ European perspectives, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The summit is organised under the patronage of David SASSOLI, Ep President, in cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Delegation for relations with the Western Balkans. Statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans: arrivals, roundtable and statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

The EP Conference of President meets to discuss on the Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans. Speakers of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia as well as the president of Croatia’s Parliament gather to discuss the Western Balkans’ European perspectives, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The summit is organised under the patronage of David SASSOLI, Ep President, in cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Delegation for relations with the Western Balkans.

Extraordinary Conference of Presidents on the Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans: arrivals and roundtable

Members of the European Parliament debated with the EU Commissioner for enlargement Johannes Hahn on the progress made by the five Western Balkan towards the EU accession. The debate was followed by the vote where Rapports for all five countries were adopted. Statements by David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Rapporteur on Serbia, Igor ŠOLTES (Greens/EFA, SI), Rapporteur on Kosovo, Ivo VAJGL (ALDE, SI), Rapporteur on Republic of Macedonia , Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&D, DE), Rapporteur on Albania, Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), Rapporteur on Montenegro, and Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.

European integration process of the Western Balkans: extracts from the debates on the 2018 rapports on Serbia, Kosovo, FYROM, Montenegro (28/11) and from the votes

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs vote on visa liberalization for Kosovo, a report by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI). Statement by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI) and results from the vote: 420 in favour, 186 against and 22 abstentions.

Visa liberalization for Kosovo: extracts from the vote on the report by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI)

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, speaks to the press about the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, on EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, speaks to the press on the occasion of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria

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