Accession of Kosovo to the European Union

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The European Union and Kosovo

The accession of Kosovo to the European Union faces many economic and political problems today, the largest probably being the fact that several EU states which need to ratify its eventual accession do not even recognize it as a state. Twenty-one of the 27 member states recognise Kosovo as an independent state and the Republic of Kosovo is recognised by 47 UN member states and the Republic of China (Taiwan). However EU membership is a long term goal. Kosovo is a potential EU candidate members as stated by the EU as a SAp member.

As confirmed by the Thessaloniki Summit in June 2003, Kosovo is firmly anchored in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process, the EU policy which applies to the Western Balkans.

On 20 April 2005, the European Commission adopted the Communication on Kosovo to the Council "A European Future for Kosovo" which reinforces the Commission’s commitment to Kosovo. Furthermore, on 20 January 2006, the Council adopted a European Partnership for Serbia and Montenegro including Kosovo as defined by UNSCR1244. The European Partnership is a means to materialise the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries within the framework of the stabilisation and association process.

The Provisional Institutions of Self Government (PISG) adopted in August 2006 an Action Plan for the Implementation of the European Partnership and this document forms the current working basis between the EU and the PISG. The PISG regularly report on the implementation of this action plan. Twelve meetings of the so-called "SAP Tracking Mechanism" (STM), specially devised to promote policy dialogue between the EU and the Kosovan authorities on EU approximation matters have taken place so far. In addition, a new structure of sectoral meetings under the umbrella of the STM was established in the areas of good governance, economy, internal market, innovation and infrastructure in March 2007. ^[1]

[edit] Euro

Like Montenegro, Kosovo unilaterally adopted the German mark as its state currency in November 1999, and switched to the euro when it was launched in 2000.