On the 2023 and 2024 Commission Reports on Kosovo

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the 2023 and 2024 Commission Reports on Kosovo

(2025/2019(INI))

– having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and Kosovo, of the other part, which entered into force on 1 April 2016,

– having regard to Kosovo’s application for membership of the European Union of 15 December 2022,

– having regard to Kosovo’s application for membership of the Council of Europe of 12 May 2022,

– having regard to the framework agreement between the European Union and Kosovo on the general principles for the participation of Kosovo in Union programmes, in force since 1 August 2017,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 September 2021 establishing the Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance (IPA III),

– having regard to the Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans,

– having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council meeting of 19 and 20 June 2003,

– having regard to the declarations of the EU-Western Balkans Summits of 13 December 2023 and of 18 December 2024, both held in Brussels,

– having regard to the Berlin Process launched on 28 August 2014,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 February 2020 entitled ‘Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0057),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 6 October2020 entitled ‘An Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0641),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘2023 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy’ (COM(2023)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Kosovo 2023 Report’ (SWD(2023)0692),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘New growth plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2023)0691),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (COM(2024)0146),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2024)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Kosovo 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0692),

– having regard to the Commission’s overview and country assessments of 31 May 2023 and of 13 June 2024 of Kosovo’s economic reform programme,

– having regard to the joint conclusions of the Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and the Western Balkans and Türkiye, adopted by the Council on 16 May 2023 and to the joint conclusions of the Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and the Western Balkans Partners, Türkiye, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, adopted by the Council on 14 May 2024,

– having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999, to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion of 22 July 2010 on the accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo, and to UN General Assembly Resolution 64/298 of 9 September 2010, which acknowledged the content of the ICJ opinion and welcomed the EU’s readiness to facilitate dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo,

– having regard to the first agreement on principles governing the normalisation of relations between the governments of Serbia and Kosovo of 19 April 2013, to the agreements of 25 August 2015, and to the ongoing EU-facilitated dialogue for the normalisation of relations,

– having regard to the Brussels Agreement of 27 February 2023 and the Ohrid Agreement of 18 March 2023 and to the implementation annex thereto,

– having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1095 of 5 June 2023 amending Joint Action 2008/124/CFSP on the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX Kosovo), which extended the mission’s mandate until 14 June 2025,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/850 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 April 2023 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (Kosovo),

– having regard to the final report of the European Union Election Observation Mission on the 2021 municipal elections in Kosovo,

– having regard to the fourth meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Council between the European Union and Kosovo held in Brussels on 7 December 2021,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Kosovo,

– having regard to the joint recommendations adopted at the 12th meeting of the EU-Kosovo Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, held on 9 December 2024,

– having regard to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2025),

A. whereas enlargement policy is one of the most effective EU foreign policy instruments and one of the most successful policies to incentivise and encourage fundamental reforms;

B. whereas democracy and the rule of law are the fundamental values on which the EU is founded;

C. whereas each enlargement country is judged on its own merits and whereas it is the implementation of the necessary reforms that determines the timetable and progress of accession;

D. whereas the EU is the largest provider of financial support to Kosovo;

Commitment to EU accession

1. Commends Kosovo’s commitment to EU accession, which reflects a clear strategic geopolitical choice, and the strong support of its citizens for Kosovo’s European path;

2. Reiterates its firm belief that Kosovo’s future lies in the EU and that all efforts to bring Kosovo out of the ‘grey zone’ are in the interest of the people of both Kosovo and the EU, especially in the context of growing competition with authoritarian regimes;

3. Supports Kosovo’s application for EU membership; calls on the Member States that have not yet recognised Kosovo’s independence to do so without delay;

4. Welcomes the visa liberalisation, agreed in December 2022 and in place since 1 January 2024, as a tangible result of Kosovo’s ever-closer relations with the EU;

5. Notes the tangible progress in the areas of justice, freedom and security, the fight against organised crime and a functioning market economy; regrets that progress in the area of rule of law remains limited;

6. Commends Kosovo’s ongoing alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy, in particular its firm condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and its implementation of the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus;

7. Calls for the immediate lifting of the EU measures against Kosovo, which are no longer justified and stand in contradiction to Kosovo’s demonstrated commitment to European values and alignment with EU policies;

8. Reiterates its support for Kosovo’s application for membership of the Council of Europe and the country’s plan to join the NATO Partnership for Peace programme;

Democracy and the rule of law

9. Welcomes the important progress on addressing most of the EU Election Observation Mission’s (EU EOM) long-standing recommendations and on presenting a consensual law on general elections; notes that this provides an adequate basis for the conduct of democratic elections, in line with international and regional standards; notes that in response to an invitation by the president of Kosovo, the European Union deployed an EU EOM, including an observer delegation of Members of the European Parliament, to observe the parliamentary elections in Kosovo on 9 February 2025;

10. Welcomes the adoption of the law on the special prosecution office and the progress in adjudicating corruption cases, while emphasising that results remain affected by resource constraints and lack of impartiality;

11. Notes with concern that Kosovo’s ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index remains unsatisfactory; emphasises that gaining people’s trust requires not only legislative reforms but also visible results in investigating, prosecuting and convicting cases of corruption;

12. Expresses serious concern about systemic vulnerabilities in Kosovo’s judiciary, particularly regarding the independence of the justice system and respect for separation of powers; reiterates its concern about delays to trials and criticism by government officials of judicial decisions in individual cases;

13. Welcomes the participation of Kosovo Serbs in the parliamentary elections and encourages their elected representatives to play an active role within the Kosovo legislative framework, in support of Kosovo’s prosperous future;

14. Notes the steady increase in organised crime indictments and sentences but emphasises the need for prosecution services and police to strengthen their joint action against criminal groups and networks; expresses concern about the security challenges in the north of Kosovo, particularly following the Banjska/Banjskë attack in September 2023, which demanded significant police resources;

15. Reaffirms its commitment to maintaining and strengthening its cooperation with the Kosovo Assembly and its members in support of democratic processes related to Kosovo’s European path by using Parliament’s existing democracy support tools and initiatives; believes that this partnership can be revitalised and further reinforced following the elections held on 9 February 2025;

16. Condemns the serious security incidents in the north of Kosovo in late November 2024, the gravest act occurring near the village of Vragë in Zubin Potok, where explosive devices damaged the main channel of the Ibër Lepenc system; expresses its support for Kosovo’s institutions in conducting a full investigation of these criminal actions so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice;

Fundamental freedoms and human rights

17. Notes that Kosovo has the necessary institutional set-up for the promotion and protection of human rights; emphasises, however, that human rights protection remains weak owing to limited human and financial resources;

18. Takes note of Kosovo’s pluralistic media environment and underlines the role of the Independent Media Commission, whose autonomy in decision-making needs to be strictly ensured; calls for greater transparency on media ownership and financing with a view to enhancing media independence and pluralism;

19. Expresses serious concern about the significant increase in attacks against journalists and strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP cases);

Reconciliation and good neighbourly relations

20. Commends Kosovo’s engagement in a number of regional cooperation initiatives and encourages it to step up its reconciliation efforts and seek solutions to past disputes;

21. Reiterates its full support for the EU-facilitated dialogue and welcomes the appointment of Peter Sørensen as the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue;

22. Reiterates the importance of constructive engagement on the part of the authorities of both Kosovo and Serbia in order to achieve a comprehensive legally binding normalisation agreement; calls on both Kosovo and Serbia to avoid unilateral actions that could escalate tensions; calls for all past agreements to be respected and fully implemented, including the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities; calls on the negotiating parties to restore the full functioning of all Kosovo institutions;

23. Expects Kosovo and Serbia to fully cooperate and take all the necessary measures to apprehend and swiftly bring to justice the perpetrators of the 2023 terrorist attack in Banjska; deplores the fact that Serbia still has not prosecuted the culprits, most notably Milan Radoičić, the Vice-President of Srpska Lista; reiterates that the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Zubin Potok must also be held accountable and must face justice without delay;

24. Calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and on the Commission to take a more proactive role in leading the dialogue process; calls for an enhanced role for the European Parliament in facilitating the dialogue;

25. Condemns all actions that endanger stability and jeopardise the reconciliation process, including the tensions in the north of Kosovo; emphasises that both sides must fully implement all agreements reached and avoid unilateral actions that could escalate tensions; calls on the Kosovo police to ensure that they fully abide by all rule of law and human rights requirements, and to make sure that an ethnically representative force, fully in line with legal requirements, is deployed in the north of Kosovo; recalls the shared responsibility of all people in Kosovo for upholding peace and the rule of law;

Socio-economic reforms

26. Welcomes Kosovo’s active engagement in the implementation of the new growth plan for the Western Balkans, which aims to deepen EU-related reforms and reduce the socio-economic gap between EU Member States and the Western Balkan countries;

27. Welcomes the progress achieved by Kosovo in developing a functioning market economy and encourages Kosovo to implement the necessary structural reforms to address fiscal challenges;

28. Notes Kosovo’s limited progress in the digital transformation of public services; emphasises the need for it to align with EU digital legislation;

29. Urges the Kosovo Government to ensure better access to healthcare services; notes that healthcare expenditure remains the second lowest in the region;

Energy, environment, sustainable development and connectivity

30. Notes that Kosovo has made some progress on the security of energy supply but remains heavily reliant on outdated, highly polluting power plants, posing serious health and environmental risks; notes that Kosovo needs to ensure the time-efficient implementation of its energy programme for 2022-2025 to meet its ambitious targets;

31. Urges Kosovo to enhance compliance with emission ceilings, improve the integration of environmental considerations into sectoral policies and adopt necessary measures for pollution control and waste management, in line with international standards;

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32. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the European Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the President, Government and National Assembly of Kosovo.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The European Parliament is closely following the political and socio-economic developments in Kosovo, and presents its report following the European Commission’s progress report on Kosovo. Following the last report adopted in 2023, the European Parliament will return to its tradition of annual reports, which was not possible in 2024 due to the European Parliament elections and the new Commission’s formation.

In summary, during 2023 and 2024, Kosovo has made notable strides in electoral reforms, economic resilience, and the protection of fundamental rights. However, challenges remain in judicial reform, media freedom, public administration efficiency, and the digitalization of public services. Continued commitment to comprehensive reforms and inclusive governance is essential for Kosovo’s advancement on its European integration path.

Several of Kosovo’s challenges are legacy problems, the resolution of which requires the involvement of the entire region in the broader European Union integration process. The Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, which was launched to find a compromise acceptable to the parties, has unfortunately not yielded the expected results. The new European Commission, as well as the European Parliament and the Member States, must certainly do everything in their power to ensure that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue continues with renewed vigor. The appointment of the new Special Representative, Peter Sörensen, is therefore very welcome.

The enlargement of the European Union has been one of the EU’s most important success stories and it must continue. The broader geopolitical goal of enlargement is to eliminate the so-called grey areas from the map of Europe. The significant changes that have taken place in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine must increase the European Union’s readiness to confront competing authoritarian global players. Both Russia and China have shown that they have very clear interests in the Western Balkans.

With this report, the rapporteur wishes to provide an overview and the European Parliament’s assessment of the most important achievements and challenges that Kosovo faces today and in the near future. It is certainly not possible to cover all the problematic areas and challenges in this report. One of the important prerequisites for the preparation of this report was the opportunity to visit Kosovo during a fact-finding mission and meet with government officials, opposition leaders and civil society representatives. The preparation of this report has involved very useful exchanges with representatives of various European Union institutions and international organisations, for which the rapporteur is very grateful.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee:

Entity and/or person

European External Action Service (EEAS)

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur(s).