Kosovo’s EU application makes no progress, four years after submission

Kosovo’s application for membership in the European Union, submitted on 15 December 2022, has not advanced to any other stage of the procedure. Although this December marks four years since it was submitted, Kosovo has still not been granted candidate status.

Kosovo’s chief negotiator with the EU, Jeton Zulfaj, said that the path to membership remains blocked, despite progress in several areas and the implementation of reforms.

Kosovo continues to be a potential candidate country. The European Commission has stated that it can prepare an Opinion on its application if it receives a request to do so from the Council of the European Union.

According to Zulfaj, the immediate goal is to obtain candidate status. He nevertheless said that this status would not be sufficient on its own and that accession negotiations should be opened almost at the same time.

Meanwhile, Kosovo has made progress on several European integration commitments. The Stabilisation and Association Agreement has been in force since 2016, the country receives pre-accession assistance, and it is implementing the reform agenda under the Growth Plan.

Zulfaj described the EU as Kosovo’s largest donor and trading partner, stressing that European integration is in the interests of both sides. He warned that institutional delays have affected the implementation of reforms and could also affect access to some European funds.

Regarding the EU’s foreign and security policy, Zulfaj said that Kosovo is fully aligned with it, including the sanctions against Russia. For this reason, he sees no real obstacle in this regard.

Among the other obstacles on the European path, he listed the dialogue with Serbia and the failure of five EU member states to recognize Kosovo’s independence. According to him, European integration is not only about membership, but also about strengthening the rule of law, democratic institutions and the energy transition.