Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Communication from the Commission to the Council on a European Future for Kosovo
Date: 2005-11-16
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: European integration, European neighbourhood policy, Kosovo, cross-border cooperation

16.5.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 115/53

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Communication from the Commission to the
Council on a European Future for Kosovo

(2006/C 115/11)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

Having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council on A European Future for
Kosovo (COM(2005) 156 final);

Having regard to the decision of the European Commission of 11 May 2005 to consult it on this subject,
under the first paragraph of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

Having regard to the decision of its Bureau of 12 April 2005 to instruct its Commission for External Rela-
tions to draw up an opinion on the subject;

Having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the European Council, held in Brussels on 16-17 June
2005;

Having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the European Council, held in Thessaloniki, on 19 and 20
June 2003;

Having regard to the decision by the European Council on 14 June 2004 on the principles, priorities and
conditions contained in the European Partnership with Serbia and Montenegro including Kosovo;

Having regard to the Report on the preparedness of Serbia and Montenegro to negotiate a Stabilisation
and Association Agreement with the European Union (SEC(2005) 478 final);

Having regard to the opinion of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the ‘Current
situation in Kosovo’ adopted on 3 June 2005 (doc. 10572, rapporteur: Ms Marianne Tritz);

Having regard to the Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo of 23 May 2005 (doc. 05-33918);

Having regard to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) of 10 June 1999;

Having regard to the Cooperation Agreement between the Committee of the Regions and the Congress of
Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe of 13 April 2005, CdR 62/2005;

Having regard to its opinion on The role of the European Union's local and regional authorities in the
democratic consolidation process in the Western Balkans — CdR 101/2003 fin (1);

Having regard to the conclusions adopted by the participants at the conference held in Pristina on 22
June 2005 (the ‘Pristina declaration’), CdR 145/2005 fin;

Having regard to its Draft Opinion (CdR 143/2005 rev. 2) adopted on 15 September 2005 by its
Commission for External Relations (Rapporteur: Mr Tomaž Štebe, Mayor of the Municipality of Mengeš
(SI/EPP));

Wishing to submit views on the European future for Kosovo from a local and regional perspective;

Whereas:

1.

2.

The Presidency conclusions of the European Council, held in Thessaloniki, on 19 and 20 June 2003,
have given the whole region of the Western Balkans an European outlook for the future. This
outlook was stressed again by the Presidency conclusions of the European Council, held in Brussels
on 16-17 June 2005;

all Western Balkans countries, as well as Kosovo, are currently undergoing positive changes in atti-
tudes, including in relation to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
These changes are an important step to their eventual European integration. However, further
substantial progress is needed;

(1) OJ C 73 of 23.3.2004, p.1.

C 115/54

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.5.2006

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

in respect of Kosovo, people showed peaceful restraint following the resignation of former Prime
Minister Haradinaj, and the government showed political maturity in the smooth transition to a new
Kosovo Government led by Prime Minister Kosumi. This was accompanied by a renewed commit-
ment to carry on the programme of the previous Government centred on UN standards implementa-
tion;

Kosovo's Government has adopted a ‘Reform of Local Government — Working Programme 2005’
on 22 February 2005. The reform is intended to improve services at the local level and thereby
contribute to (a) ensuring sustainable government and living conditions for all people in Kosovo; (b)
the integration of all communities into democratic structures in Kosovo; (c) the setting up and
consolidation of functioning democratic institutions in Kosovo as required by the standards;

activities aimed at the economic integration of Kosovo in the region continue. These ongoing efforts
are intended to address the continuing difficult economic situation in Kosovo, including low-income
level, high unemployment and huge infrastructure deficit. A legal framework defining clear property
rights is urgently needed;

an ambitious and comprehensive review of the implementation of standards, which is currently
taking place, should launch a realistic process leading to the settlement of Kosovo's future status.
Strong, autonomous and multiethnic local and municipal authorities are a prerequisite for long-
lasting peace and prosperity in Kosovo, as well as a key element in any negotiated agreement on the
future status of Kosovo;

the final declaration of the conference on the role of EU regional and local authorities in the process
of democratic consolidation in the Western Balkans' region organised jointly with the Committee of
the Regions, the European Commission, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the
Council of Europe and the Stability Pact for South-Eastern European in Pristina, 22 June 2005,
stresses that if the people of Kosovo were to have a future within the European Union, it was vital
to have genuine devolution and a participatory democracy, which fully respected democratic values
and minority rights.

adopted the following opinion at its 62nd plenary session, held on 16 and 17 November 2005
(meeting of 16 November):

1. The Committee of the Regions' Views

The Committee of the Regions

1.1 welcomes the report and the conclusions reached by
the Commission in the Communication A European Future for
Kosovo, (COM(2005) 156 final) which present a framework for
ending the current impasse regarding the development of a
in order to
democratic and multi-ethnic society in Kosovo,
enable it to participate in the region in a context of peace and
prosperity;

1.4
considers that Kosovo's and EU local and regional
authorities should help to achieve the challenge of the Euro-
pean future for Kosovo;

1.5 welcomes the Commission's commitment to focussing
on the specific situation and particular needs of Kosovo in
order that it might make progress in the stabilisation and asso-
ciation process;

1.6 welcomes the active focus on the development and
reform needs of Kosovo with a commitment
to mobilise
Commission resources to accelerate such development and
reforms;

1.2 welcomes the Report on the preparedness of Serbia
and Montenegro to negotiate a Stabilisation and Association
Agreement with the European Union, SEC(2005) 478 final,
which concludes with a positive recommendation towards
opening stabilisation and associations negotiations provided
Serbia
in a
sustained way;

and Montenegro continues

its preparations

1.3 welcomes Presidency conclusions of
the European
Council, held in Brussels on 16-17 June 2005 and the annexed
Declaration on Kosovo which stressed that the outcome of the
comprehensive review of the situation in Kosovo was not a
foregone conclusion: the implementation of standards, particu-
larly those which have been identified as a priority, and the
decentralisation process are of particular importance;

endorses

1.7
to
explore new avenues in order to ensure that Kosovo can
benefit fully from all relevant European Union instruments;

the European Commission proposal

1.8
attaches the utmost importance to the political dialogue
between the communities of Kosovo and between the authori-
ties in Belgrade and Pristina as the only way to achieve that
greater stability which is a prerequisite for the European inte-
gration of the whole Western Balkans region;

1.9 welcomes the initial effort made by the Provisional
Institutions of Self Government in Kosovo (PISG) to reform the
local government in Kosovo;

16.5.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 115/55

1.10
recalls that devolution must be accompanied by a
genuine transfer of power and particularly financial resources
and properties commensurate with the new responsibilities
entrusted to the local and regional authorities;

1.11
supports the vital role that the local and regional
authority associations play in putting the collective views of
local and regional authorities to their governments and as key
instruments to promote the potential for action through local
and regional politicians;

1.12
endorses the Commission's engagement in high-level
consultation with the main international actors so as to estab-
lish a coordinated policy approach to Kosovo; and welcomes
the decision to launch the comprehensive review of progress
made in the implementation of the Kosovo standards.

2. The Committee of the Regions' recommendations

The Committee of the Regions

2.1
asks the Commission to actively involve local authori-
ties of Kosovo in the task of implementing political, social and
economical reforms at the ground level with the full respect of
the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality and good govern-
ance;

2.2
encourages the Commission to promote and support
— in close cooperation with local authorities — information
campaigns in order to inform EU citizens about relations with
Kosovo and to inform Kosovo citizens of EU values;

2.3
encourages the Commission to support — in close
cooperation with local authorities — exchange and twinning
programmes that will help to increase mutual understanding
between citizens and the administrations of the EU and Kosovo
and strengthen local and regional-level administrative capacity;

recommends that Commission assistance for institution
2.4
building give special consideration to local government capa-
city, in particular to assist the implementation of law and to
improve communication and cooperation between central and
local government;

the
calls for cooperation efforts and exchanges of
2.5
experiences and best practices gained under the pre-accession
policy implemented with the local and regional authorities of
the EU member states, applicant countries and Western Balkans
countries;

2.6
stresses that one way of developing confidence and
stability in Kosovo and the Western Balkan region is through

Brussels, 16 November 2005.

active cross-border cooperation between local and regional
authorities;

encourages all those responsible for implementing stan-
2.7
dards, particularly the Provisional Institutions of Self-Govern-
ment (PISG) in Kosovo to continue the implementation of the
Reform of Local Government in entire Kosovo's territory and
to assist local authorities in Kosovo to conform with the Euro-
pean Charter of Local Self Government, notably by providing
the local authorities in Kosovo with the necessary financial,
land and human resources for their social and economic
responsibilities;

(PISG)

in Kosovo that

recalls to all those responsible for implementing stan-
2.8
dards, particularly the Provisional Institutions of Self-Govern-
ment
safeguarding and promoting
regional and minority languages as well as cultural heritage of
all communities are key factors in tolerance and mutual under-
standing within a pluralist, multiethnic and multicultural
Kosovo;

2.9
encourages all those responsible for implementing stan-
dards, particularly the Provisional Institutions of Self-Govern-
in Kosovo to facilitate participation of persons
ment (PISG)
from all ethnic groups and communities in the decision-
making processes, in particular at local and municipal level and
stresses that multiethnic municipalities are key element for
stabilisation and reconciliation process in Kosovo;

recommends all those responsible for implementing
2.10
Institutions of Self-
standards, particularly the Provisional
Government
in Kosovo, to redouble their efforts to
achieve concrete results urgently, particularly as regards the
return of refugees, return of displaced persons and freedom of
movement for all communities;

(PISG)

asks all those responsible for implementing standards,
2.11
particularly the Provisional
Institutions of Self-Government
(PISG) in Kosovo to take steps, in cooperation with EU and
international institutions, to look beyond the implementation
of standards and to be prepared to implement EU legislation,
including at local level;

recommends to work closely with the Congress of
2.12
Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) of
the
Council of Europe and to foster a wider participation of Koso-
vo's authorities in the European democratic process;

2.13
tives 2007-2013 sufficient
Kosovo.

recommends that in the context of Financial Perspec-
is allowed for

financial support

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Peter STRAUB