Kosovo and EU

2019-2020

 

Kosovo is the last country in the Western Balkans to go through the transition process while undertaking the reforms related to the EU integration agenda, which will profoundly affect its future economic and political development. Knowledge of the EU integration process in the country as a whole is fairly low and the professional capabilities involved in EU integration process are limited.

Among the main challenges and opportunities for Kosovo institutions and society during 2019 are as follow:

 

• European Reform Agenda (ERA) implementation by the local institutions,

 

• Benefiting from the Regional and the EU market as part of the CEFTA 2006 and SAA.

 

• Stabilization and Association Agreement- (SAA ) implementation,

 

• Implementation and benefiting from IPA II (Instrument for Pree-accession Assistance) and increasing absorption capabilities for benefiting from new framework of the IPA III (2021-2027),

 

• Increase Institutional capabilities for efficient absorption of the EU educational Programes such as ERASMUS (2021- 2027).

 

• Increase Institutional capabilities for efficient absorption of the EU Research and Innovation Programmes such as HORIZON EUROPE ( 2021 – 2027).

 

Better absorption of the EU funds , Programmes and other EU instruments is crucial not only for the Kosovo's EU agenda but also for the reforms on the internal market which will lead to the support of local firms competitiveness, export promotion, FDI attractiveness and human resources development in Kosovo.

Furthermore the Kosovo Institutions should strengthen public policy planing , decision making process and coordination that support Kosovo's overall agenda within the European Integration process.