Ismaili meets the EU’s new ambassador to Kosovo: The Central Bank is preparing its SEPA application

Ahmet Ismaili, governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK), met with Dirk Schübel, the European Union’s new ambassador to Kosovo.

On the occasion, Ismaili congratulated Schübel on his new position and thanked the EU for its continued support for Kosovo’s economic and financial development, the implementation of institutional reforms and alignment with European standards.

During the meeting, the governor outlined developments in the financial sector, highlighting its resilience and contribution to economic development. He also discussed the implementation of the CBK’s Strategic Plan, progress on the legal and regulatory framework, financial supervision and the strengthening of institutional capacity, in line with European standards and best practices.

According to the announcement, a significant part of the meeting focused on Kosovo’s integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the modernization of payment infrastructure. Ismaili and Deputy Governor Dardan Fusha briefed the ambassador on the steps taken to meet the legal and technical criteria for the application. These include the adoption of legal amendments on preventing money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as measures to combat counterfeiting and safeguard the integrity of the euro. The CBK said at the meeting that it is in the final stage of preparations to complete the application process with the European Payments Council (EPC), in coordination with the relevant EU institutions.

The TIPS Clone project to develop instant payments was also discussed, as part of reforms aimed at modernizing payment services and aligning them with European infrastructure.

Ismaili said that joining SEPA and making progress toward European payment systems are strategic priorities for the CBK, as well as important steps toward Kosovo’s financial and economic integration with the EU. The aim is for citizens and businesses to benefit from faster, safer and lower-cost cross-border payments.

Discussions also covered the integrity of the financial system, cybersecurity, consumer protection and expanding access to financial services. The governor expressed his appreciation for the assistance and cooperation of EU institutions, the European Central Bank and Eurosystem central banks in implementing reforms and strengthening the CBK’s capacity.

Ambassador Schübel, in turn, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Kosovo’s reforms and its path toward European integration. This includes the SEPA accession process, aligning legislation with European standards and further developing the financial sector.

At the close of the meeting, both sides expressed their readiness to deepen institutional cooperation and coordination to achieve their shared objectives, with a focus on financial stability, modernizing payment systems and Kosovo’s financial integration into the European Union.