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The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee discussed (20.02.2025) Kosovo’s EU integration process, with many MEPs calling on the EU to clarify Kosovo’s European path and lift the measures imposed in 2023[1]. Kosovo remains the only Western Balkan country without EU candidate status and MEPs stressed the need to quickly form a new government after the elections held on 9 February.
The EP rapporteur on Kosovo, Rijo Terras, called for greater EU engagement in the region and urged the five EU member states that have not recognized Kosovo to do so. Nathalie Loiseau, head of the EU election observation mission in Kosovo, and other MEPs stressed the importance of reviving the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and ensuring that both sides fulfil their commitments.
The European Commission has positively assessed the conduct of the elections in Kosovo, but expressed concern about the delay in the vote count. Although MEPs strongly advocated for the lifting of the measures against Kosovo, representatives of the European External Action Service and the European Commission did not explicitly address the issue. Instead, they stressed that Kosovo’s path to the EU depends on progress in relations with Serbia.
At the same session, Croatian rapporteur Tonino Picula presented a report on Serbia, calling on Belgrade to show a genuine commitment to EU integration, to respect the right to peaceful protest and to take action against those responsible for the attack in Banska.
Commentary: There is a growing willingness on the part of the European Union to lift its measures against Kosovo, although some countries continue to delay the process by using procedural obstacles. The European Parliament strongly supports Kosovo’s EU membership and candidate status, but the decision requires consensus, which remains blocked by five EU countries that do not recognize Kosovo. Serbia has made no progress in its European integration since 2021, failing to align its foreign policy with that of the EU, while Kosovo remains in a “gray zone” with no clear path forward. The public rhetoric of the US administration under Donald Trump signals open conflict with EU countries. While the US previously supported the EU-led dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Washington now supports a passive approach, effectively leaving the process at a standstill.
[1] Sanctions against Kosovo were imposed in June 2023 over tensions in the Serb-majority north of the country. These sanctions include freezing several EU funds and suspending high-level meetings with Kosovo representatives.
