Improved dialogue with Serbia key to Kosovo's EU accession - EC

Both Serbia and Kosovo are expected to engage in a more constructive dialogue, the Commission said in a yearly progress report.

De-escalation will also determine whether a set of temporary measures taken against Kosovo earlier will be reversed, it added.

In June, EU announced measures against Kosovo citing lack of necessary steps for de-escalation following Serbian protests in May against the election of ethnic Albanian mayors in Serbian-dominated municipalities of Kosovo. Measures include suspension of high-level visits to Kosovo and funding from the EU’s pre-accession instruments (IPA).

Serbia also needs to cooperate in the apprehension of perpetrators of a terrorist attack involving ethnic Serbs against the Kosovo police earlier in September, the Commission added.

Kosovo needs to strengthen cross-party cooperation in its internal politics, as it presents a challenge to implementation of EU-oriented reforms. The country lags behind in public administration reform, and has had limited progress in developing a well-functioning judicial system, with few tools to secure its independence.

Kosovo also remains in the early stages in its fight against corruption, with difficulties in the implementation of a 2022-adopted anti-corruption legislation, according to the Commission. Organised crime remains an issue, as limited progress was made on the investigation and prosecution of cases.

Kosovo's economy has shown resilience to challenges brought in by the war in Ukraine, but the private sector remains hindered by informal economy, corruption and weak rule of law. The country is at an early stage in coping with competitive pressures and market forces in the EU, the Commission noted.