Kosovo and the European Union
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The Kosovo has, like the whole Western Balkans a European perspective, that is the prospect of one day the European Union to join. Kosovo is a “ potential candidate for membership ” and the only Balkan country that has not yet applied for EU membership.
EU-Kosovo relations
Kosovo declared itself independent on February 17, 2008. Kosovo's independence has so far been recognized by 22 of the 27 EU member states. Greece , Romania , Slovakia , Spain and the Republic of Cyprus do not recognize the Republic of Kosovo.
The Council of the European Union has immediately after Kosovo's independence declaration noted that "the Member States in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo will decide." The European Council emphasized at its meeting on 19 June 2008, that Kosovo, like the rest of the Western Balkans, has a clear European perspective. The Council declared the EU's willingness to play a leading role in stabilizing Kosovo.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy , Catherine Ashton , welcomed the July 2010 opinion of the International Court of Justice that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate international law. On July 8, 2010, the European Parliament asked all EU member states to recognize the Republic of Kosovo.
The EU supports the stabilization of Kosovo primarily through the rule of law mission EULEX and the EU special envoy for Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova , as well as within the framework of the Stabilization and Association Process (SAP).
Stabilization and Association Process
Even before the declaration of independence, Kosovo took part in the EU's stabilization and association process with the countries of the Western Balkans. The control framework is the SAP Dialog , which was named SAP Tracking Mechanism from 2003 to 2010 . It includes regular meetings between the EU and Kosovo to monitor the state of reform, including political dialogue. The SAP Dialog is primarily intended to support Kosovo with further reforms and the establishment of institutions, as well as providing a better understanding of EU policies and European standards.
The Stabilization and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the EU entered into force on April 1, 2016. Before that, it was negotiated from 2013 to 2014 and signed by both parties on October 27, 2015. It was ratified by the Kosovar Parliament on November 2, 2015 and the European Parliament on January 21, 2016. A ratification of the national parliaments was not necessary due to the Lisbon Treaty , since the EU has had its own legal personality since this treaty came into force .
State of reform
The European partnership sets short and medium-term reform priorities. The last European partnership between the EU and Kosovo was adopted in February 2008 under the Slovenian EU Council Presidency .
The European Commission assessed each autumn to reform level in the candidate and potential candidate countries. The October 2009 progress report on Kosovo gave Kosovo a relatively critical testimony. The European Commission attests that Kosovo has made only limited progress in terms of the rule of law and the development of the judicial system. The European Commission sees only limited progress in the fight against ill-treatment in detention and against impunity. Corruption remains a serious problem. Freedom of expression is not fully guaranteed in practice. Above all, there is political influence on the media. The European Commission sees little progress in the areas of justice, freedom and security. The authorities are said to have only weak capacities in the fight against money laundering. Despite some successes, the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime remained a serious problem. Economic and social rights would not be fully guaranteed. The main problem areas are protecting women from violence, child trafficking and child labor. The unemployment rate in Kosovo remains high. The main obstacles are a weak constitutional state, inadequate transport and energy infrastructure and poorly differentiated production options. The European Commission calls on Kosovo to better protect the minorities of Kosovo, especially Serbs and Roma .
On October 14th, 2009 the European Commission presented a study entitled “Kosovo - Realizing the European Perspective”. It examines how the European perspective of Kosovo can be strengthened and made more concrete. In it, the Commission proposes a “structured concept” with the long-term goal of visa liberalization and talks towards a trade agreement between the EU and Kosovo.
Financial support
As part of the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), Kosovo is to receive around 496.8 million euros to support EU pre-accession for the years 2008 to 2012. In 2010, IPA funds of EUR 67.3 million are earmarked for Kosovo. In addition, Kosovo also receives EU macro-financial assistance .
At a donor conference in Brussels in July 2008, the international community pledged aid to Kosovo amounting to 1.2 billion euros for the coming years. The EU and its member states have pledged around 800 million euros of this. → Parallels to the other passive euro user: Montenegro and the euro
As in neighboring Montenegro, the legal tender in Kosovo is the euro . Kosovo introduced the Deutsche Mark as legal tender in September 1999 after it had left the currency area of the Serbian dinar . On January 1, 2002, coins and banknotes denominated in euros replaced the D-Mark as a means of payment.
Kosovo, which is in fact but not “officially” a member of the Eurozone, is therefore not allowed to mint any Euro coins with a country-specific design.
Visa
In contrast to all other Western Balkan states, Kosovar citizens currently need a visa if they want to enter the Schengen area . This also applies to residents of Kosovo with a Serbian passport. The visa exemption for Serbian citizens from December 19, 2009 does not apply to them.
The Council of the European Union stressed on December 8th, 2009 that “Kosovo should also have the prospect of visa liberalization as soon as all the requirements are met, and calls on the Commission to present a structured approach with which the citizens of Kosovo can contact the EU be approximated. "
literature
- Wolfgang Tiede, Julia Spiesberger, Clemens Bogedain: Kosovo and Serbia on the way to the European Union? , in: Europarecht (EuR) 01/2014, pp. 129–144.
Web links
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Enlargement: Kosovo
- 2009 progress report of the European Commission on Kosovo (PDF; 279 kB)
- Study by the European Commission on Kosovo: "Kosovo - Realizing the European Perspective" (October 14, 2009; PDF; 259 kB)
Individual evidence
- ^ Council of the European Union: General Affairs and External Relations . February 18, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ^ Council of The European Union: Brussels European Council . July 17, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ↑ http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/115902.pdf
- ↑ European Union: Declaration by High Representative Catherine Ashton on behalf of the European Union on the ICJ advisory opinion . July 22, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ↑ Communication on the entry into force of the Stabilization and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and Kosovo (This designation does not affect the positions on the status and is in accordance with Resolution 1244/1999 of the UN Security Council and the opinion of the International Court of Justice on the declaration of independence of Kosovo.) On the other hand , accessed on May 2, 2017
- ↑ Kosovo Launches Crucial SAA Talks With EU . October 28, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ↑ EEAS: Stabilization and Association Agreement negotiations successfully completed . February 5, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ^ European Commission: Stabilization and Association Agreement between the European Union and Kosovo signed . October 27, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ↑ RTKLIVE: Kosovo Assembly Passes Draft-Law on SAA . November 2, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ↑ Commission of the European Communities: Kosovo under UNSCR 1244/99 2009 Progress Report . October 14, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
- ^ European Commission - Economic and Financial Affairs: Kosovo: an economy on hold . October 2007. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved on May 20, 2017.
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Stabilization and Association Agreement / EU Enlargement |
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European neighborhood policy and others |
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