EU Council urged to review Kosovo's application for membership

The commission, which operates within the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the EU, has also urged the five bloc member states that have not yet recognised Kosovo's independence, to do “earlier” such a thing.

“Support Kosovo's application for EU membership, reiterate that future member states should be assessed on the basis of individual merits”, the commission's joint recommendation said.

Kosovo has applied for membership in the European Union on December 15th 2022.

Since then, the EU Council presidency has been divided among five member states -- Czechia, Sweden, Spain, Belgium and Hungary. The first one accepted the application, but no one else considered it.

The Council, respectively, representatives of the 27 member states decide that when the app is sent to the European Commission, which is invited to prepare an opinion on the merits of the applicant country to obtain candidate status and open membership negotiations.

Kosovo is the only country in the Balkans that still does not have candidate status.

The recommendations that have been adopted welcome Kosovo's commitment to EU membership, aimed at powerful support from citizens.

“We express our deep conviction that the EU integration process brings a significant transforming power and democratic consolidation, institutional integrity and socio-economic cohesion”, the recommendations say.

The main topic of discussions was Kosovo's progress in EU-related reforms, rule of law and minority rights in Kosovo, dialogue with Serbia, regional co-operation and Kosovo's membership in international organisations.

Meanwhile, the commission also stressed that dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia should be concluded with mutual recognition between the two neighbouring countries. These requirements were approved by the joint delegation at the first meeting held in Brussels on Tuesday.

The meeting was co-chaired by European Parliament delegation chief Davor Ivo Stier, and by Mimoza Kusari, chief of the Kosovo Assembly delegation.

Kosovo's decision to remove restrictions on import of goods from Serbia and unilateral visa removal for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina is also praised.

Similarly, Kosovo's progress in meeting the criteria for benefits from the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans has been welcomed.

This commission has condemned the attacks in northern Kosovo, the one in Banjska in the fall of 2023, as well as the latest attack on the Iber-Lepenci channel, and has demanded that the leaders of these attacks be brought to justice as soon as possible.

The Commission has expressed regret over the continuation of measures the EU has in force of Kosovo and has extended the invitation for them to be removed “immediately”.