COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT KosovoFMT:Style_footnote reference,Superscript,Style>* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. 2025 Report Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy
Date: 2025-11-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, European Commission
Subjects: Kosovo, accession criteria, accession negotiations, pre-accession strategy, regional cooperation

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 4.11.2025  SWD(2025) 752 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Kosovo* 2025 Report Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy {COM(2025) 690 final} - {SWD(2025) 750 final} - {SWD(2025) 751 final} - {SWD(2025) 753 final} - {SWD(2025) 754 final} - {SWD(2025) 755 final} - {SWD(2025) 756 final} - {SWD(2025) 757 final} - {SWD(2025) 758 final} - {SWD(2025) 759 final}                                                  * This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.  
 
Contents 
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 3 

1.1. Context ............................................................................................................................................... 3 

1.2 Main findings of the report .................................................................................................................. 3 

2.  

The fundamentals of the accession process ............................................................................... 18 

2.1. 

Functioning of democratic institutions and public administration reform .................................... 18 

2.1.1  Democracy ............................................................................................................................ 18 

2.1.2   Public administration reform ................................................................................................ 22 

2.2. Rule of law and fundamental rights ................................................................................................. 25 

2.2.1  Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights ...................................................................... 25 

2.2.2 Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security ................................................................................ 42 

2.3. Economic development and competitiveness ................................................................................. 51 

2.3.1. The existence of a functioning market economy ...................................................................... 51 

2.3.2. The capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces in the EU ........................ 55 

2.4. Public procurement, statistics, financial control ............................................................................... 57 

Chapter 5 – Public procurement ......................................................................................................... 57 

Chapter 18 – Statistics ....................................................................................................................... 58 

Chapter 32 – Financial control ........................................................................................................... 59 

3. GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION .................................................................... 61 

4. NORMALISATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN KOSOVO AND SERBIA ................................................................... 62 

5. European standards ................................................................................................................................ 65 

Cluster 2: Internal market ....................................................................................................................... 65 

Chapter 1 – Free movement of goods................................................................................................ 65 

Chapter 2 – Freedom of movement for workers ................................................................................ 66 

Chapter 3 – Right of establishment and freedom to provide services ............................................... 66 

Chapter 4 – Free movement of capital ............................................................................................... 67 

Chapter 6 – Company law .................................................................................................................. 68 

Chapter 7 – Intellectual property law .................................................................................................. 68 

Chapter 8 – Competition policy .......................................................................................................... 69 

Chapter 9 – Financial services ........................................................................................................... 71 

Chapter 28 – Consumer and health protection .................................................................................. 72 

Cluster 3: Competitiveness and inclusive growth ................................................................................... 73 

Chapter 10 - Digital transformation and media .................................................................................. 73 

Chapter 16 - Taxation ......................................................................................................................... 74 

Chapter 17 – Economic and monetary policy .................................................................................... 75 

Chapter 19 – Social policy and employment ...................................................................................... 75 

Chapter 20 – Enterprise and industrial policy .................................................................................... 77 

Chapter 25 – Science and research ................................................................................................... 78 

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Chapter 26 – Education and culture ................................................................................................... 78 

Chapter 29 – Customs union .............................................................................................................. 80 

Cluster 4: The Green agenda and sustainable growth ........................................................................... 81 

Chapter 14 – Transport policy ............................................................................................................ 81 

Chapter 15 - Energy ........................................................................................................................... 82 

Chapter 21 – Trans-European Networks ............................................................................................ 84 

Chapter 27 – Environment and climate change ................................................................................. 84 

Cluster 5: Resources, agriculture and cohesion ..................................................................................... 86 

Chapter 11 - Agriculture ...................................................................................................................... 86 

Chapter 12 – Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy ......................................................... 87 

Chapter 13 – Fisheries and aquaculture ............................................................................................ 88 

Chapter 22 – Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments .......................................... 88 

Chapter 30 – External relations .......................................................................................................... 89 

Annex I – Relations between the EU and Kosovo .................................................................................. 91 

Annex II – Statistical data ....................................................................................................................... 93 

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1. INTRODUCTION1 

1.1. CONTEXT 

The EU-Kosovo Stabilisation and Association Agreement has been in force since April 2016. 
Kosovo submitted an application for EU membership in December 2022. Holders of Kosovo 
passports  enjoy  visa-free  travel  to  the  EU  since  1  January  2024.  The  authorities  remain 
committed  to  Kosovo’s  European  path,  accompanied  by  high  public  support.  Over  the  last 
few  months  though,  due  to  the  political  stalemate,  the  pace  of  Kosovo’s  preparations  has 
slowed down. 

The  reporting  period  was  impacted  by  divisive  domestic  politics  and  a  confrontational 
campaign  ahead  of  the  general  elections  on  9  February  2025,  followed  by  a  post-election 
political gridlock due to political parties’ inability and lack of political will to find a way towards 
the  formation  of  institutions.  The  government  has  been  in  caretaker  status  since  23  March 
2025, with only limited executive functions to carry out day-to-day operations.  

the  reporting  period, 

In 
the  EU-facilitated  Dialogue  on  normalisation  of  relations 
between Kosovo  and  Serbia  continued.  Domestic  political  preoccupations  on  both  sides 
have  hindered  decisive  steps  towards  implementing  the  2023  Agreement  on  the  Path  to 
Normalisation  and  its  implementation  annex  and  thereby  progressing  on  normalising  their 
relations.  Constructive  engagement  in  the  normalisation  is  also a  requirement  under  the 
Reform  and  Growth  Facility  for  the  Western  Balkans.  From  May  2025  the  EU  has  taken 
some steps to gradually lift the measures in force since 2023  vis à vis Kosovo, conditional 
upon sustained de-escalation in the north.  

Kosovo has started to implement the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. Under the 
Reform  and Growth  Facility  for  the  Western  Balkans  (a  performance-based  EU  instrument 
supporting  the  EU  integration  process),  Kosovo  adopted  its  Reform  Agenda  on  9  October 
2024. This covers reforms in the areas of: (i) governance, public administration reform and 
public financial management; (ii) green and digital transition; (iii) human capital; (iv) private 
sector  development  and  business  environment;  and  (v)  fundamental  rights  and  the  rule  of 
law. However, the ratification of the Facility Agreement and signature and ratification of the 
Loan Agreement remain pending, due to the political gridlock, and the implementation of the 
agreed steps in Kosovo’s Reform Agenda has so far been limited. 

Kosovo has maintained its voluntary alignment with the EU CFSP and implementation of EU 
restrictive measures,  signalling  its  clear  commitment  to  EU values.  The  EU  has  repeatedly 
welcomed,  in  particular,  Kosovo's  continued  condemnation  of  Russia's  unjustified  and 
unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine and its enforcement of restrictive measures 
against Russia and Belarus. 

1.2 MAIN FINDINGS OF THE REPORT 

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS 

Democracy  

1 This report covers the period from 1 September 2024 to 1 September 2025. It is based on input from a variety 
of  sources,  including  contributions  from  the  government  of  Kosovo,  EU  Member  States,  European  Parliament 
reports  and  information  from  various  international  and  non-governmental  organisations.  It  also  includes  the 
results of comparative assessments and indices produced by other stakeholders, in particular on the rule of law.  
The  report  uses  the  following  assessment  scale  to  describe  the  state  of  play:  early  stage,  some  level  of 
preparation,  moderately  prepared,  good  level  of  preparation  and  well  advanced.  To  describe  progress  made 
during the reporting period, it uses the following scale: backsliding, no progress, limited progress, some progress, 
good progress and very good progress. Where appropriate, interim steps have also been used. 

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The framework for elections is generally free and fair. On 9 February 2025, Kosovo held the 
first  parliamentary  elections  under  the  newly  revised  framework,  which  had  been  aligned 
with the EU Election Observation Mission’s (EU EOM) recommendations in 2023.  Although 
final voter turnout was moderate, at 46.6 per cent, the elections, observed by an EU EOM, 
were peaceful, competitive and inclusive.  

The EU EOM noted smooth conduct of the voting on the election day. There were attempts 
to  politicise  the  work  of  the  Central  Election  Commission  (CEC),  though  the  Elections 
Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) effectively handled complaints. While the campaign 
period was competitive, there were instances of harsh rhetoric, misuse of public resources, 
and socio-political pressure in Kosovo Serb majority areas.  

The Independent Media Commission (IMC) struggled to enforce its regulatory oversight due 
to  persisting  governance  issues.  Another  worrying  issue  was  the  inadequate  response  to 
electoral disinformation and foreign interference.  

The Assembly can exercise its powers, including control of the executive and involvement 
in the legislative process, albeit with shortcomings. The previous legislature was marked by 
a lack  of  political  consensus,  procedural violations,  boycotts,  regular  calls  for  extraordinary 
sessions  and  rushed  legislative  procedures.  Despite  isolated  improvements,  such  as  the 
introduction  of  electronic  voting  and  publication  of  individual  MPs’  votes,  the  overall 
parliamentary performance suffered.  

The Assembly still needs to improve its internal management system and adopt work plans. 
With the start of the election campaign in January 2025, the Assembly entered a period of 
inactivity.  Following  the  parliamentary  elections,  the  Assembly’s  failure  to  constitute  itself 
has been seriously undermining the functioning of key democratic institutions. 

As  regards  governance,  challenges  in  the  relationship  between  municipalities  and  central 
institutions  persist. On 5  December  2024,  the  government  adopted  a significant  number  of 
laws  under  expedited  procedures,  raising  concerns  over  democratic  principles.  The 
opposition, critical of this practice, challenged a number of laws in the Constitutional Court.  

The institutions in charge of the EU integration process are mostly in place. While Kosovo 
publicly  reaffirms  its  commitment  to  the  EU  agenda,  divisive  domestic  politics  and  lack  of 
prioritisation hampered its effective implementation.  

Civil  society  organisations  (CSO)  operate  in  an  overall  enabling  environment.  They  are 
active  and  diverse,  participating  in  the  design  and  monitoring  of  the  EU-related  reforms. 
However, they have trouble meaningfully contributing to the policymaking processes, as the 
consultation processes organised by the government are mostly a formal exercise. The new 
Strategy  for  cooperation  with  civil  society  should  be  approved.  The  phasing  out  of  US 
development  assistance  laid  bare  the  level  of  CSO’s  dependency  on  international  donors’ 
funding.  

Public administration reform  

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  and  made  limited  progress,  adopting  a  new 
Programme  for  rationalising  independent  agencies  in  September  2024.  While  Kosovo 
advanced  on  administrative  burden  reduction,  service  delivery  and  digitalisation,  there  are 
considerable  delays  to  implementing  the  legal  framework.  Kosovo  should  fully  address  the 
EU  recommendations  regarding  the  Law  on  public  officials  and  the  ruling  by  the 
Constitutional Court on the Law on salaries in the public sector.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→ increase  the  civil  service’s  capacities  through:  i)  merit-based  recruitments,  performance 
assessment  and  measures  towards  gender  equality;  ii)  decrease  the  number  of  vacant 

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and acting positions; iii) finalise the process of job classification and systematisation; and 
iv) ensure functioning of the new remuneration system;   

→ accelerate the process of rationalisation of independent agencies and increase number of 

e-services, to further reduce administrative burden;  

→ adopt the Law on PFM and ensure that fiscal risk assessment provisions and the public 

investment methodology are part of the revised legislation. 

Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights 

Kosovo is between an early stage of preparation and having some level of preparation 
to apply the EU acquis and European standards on the judiciary and fundamental rights, and 
made limited progress. 

Functioning of the judiciary  

Kosovo is between an early stage of preparation and having some level of preparation, 
and  made  limited  progress  on  the  functioning  of  the  judiciary,  including  through  reducing 
the  backlog  of  cases  and  introducing  several  digitalisation  measures.  The  government 
consulted the Venice Commission (VC) on the package of draft laws on the judiciary, taking 
steps  towards  aligning  its  legislation  with  European  standards  and  VC  recommendations. 
The  Kosovo  Judicial  Council  (KJC)  and  Kosovo  Prosecutorial  Council  (KPC)  continue  to 
operate  with  incomplete  membership.  Due  to  the  current  political  gridlock,  the  delays  in 
designing  the  justice  reforms  have  negatively  affected  the  efforts  to  strengthen  the 
mechanisms  on  accountability  and  efficiency  within  the  judiciary  and  prosecution.  Undue 
influence from internal and different external sources remains. The amendments to the Law 
on  the  KPC  entered  into  force  in  June  2025,  introducing  some  improvements,  but  the 
recommendations  of  the  Venice  Commission  will  need  to  be  fully  reflected  in  future 
amendments.   

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo needs, in particular, to: 

→  ensure prompt adoption of legislation deriving from the Joint Statement of Commitment, 
including  the  necessary  implementing  legislation,  in  line  with  VC’s  recommendations; 
enhance the use of existing mechanisms on integrity, accountability and efficiency within 
the  judiciary  and  prosecution,  with  a  focus  on  the  implementation  and  monitoring 
responsibilities of the KJC and KPC;  

→  establish  a  well-defined  responsibility  framework  for  all  management  functions  in  the 
transparent  monitoring  and 

Councils,  Courts  and  Prosecution  Offices 
accountability mechanisms as well as corrective measures for poor performance;  

including 

→  enhance  the  accountability  and  efficiency  of  judges  and  prosecutors  in  handling  high 
level  corruption  cases,  organised  crime  cases,  other  high-profile  cases,  and  gender-
based  violence  cases;  and  ensure  consistent  enforcement  of  procedural  discipline  and 
stronger case management practices. 

Fight against corruption 

Kosovo is between an early stage of preparation and having some level of preparation 
in  fighting  corruption  and  made  limited  progress.  Kosovo  made  further  progress  in 
adjudicating  high-level  corruption  cases,  which  resulted  in  a  higher  number  of  final  court 
decisions and convictions, while the overall number of investigations and final convictions in 
non-high-level corruption cases decreased. Kosovo still has no strategic framework in place 
in  the  area  of  fight  against  corruption.  Despite  the  pronounced  political  commitment  to 
enhance  anti-corruption  measures,  there  is  no  coherent  approach  to  it.  To  effectively  fight 
corruption  at  all  levels,  Kosovo  needs  to  make  better  use  of  existing  anti-corruption 
legislation, including the Law on extended powers of confiscation. Preventative tools such as 

5 

 
 
asset declarations and public institutions’ integrity plans should be more effectively used to 
identify  and  pre-emptively  fight  corruption  at  its  roots.  Kosovo  continued  to  undertake  risk 
assessments in vulnerable sectors. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should:   

→  further strengthen the capacity of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (APC), in 

terms of staff and expertise, to ensure it can carry out its mandate effectively;   

→  implement  existing  anti-corruption  legislation  and  adopt  a  national  strategy  and  action 
plan  against  corruption  for  2025-2028,  in  line  with  European  best  practices  and 
standards;  

→  continue to strengthen the quality of investigation in high-level corruption cases; increase 
the  capacity  of  the  Special  Investigative  Unit  of  the  police  and  ensure  it  cooperates 
effectively with the Special Prosecution Office (SPO).  

Fundamental rights  

Overall, the legal and institutional framework for the promotion, protection and enforcement 
of  human  rights  is  in  place,  but  implementation  needs  more  effort.  Kosovo  appointed  the 
head  of  the  Agency  for  Gender  Equality.  There  was  further  progress  on  the  verification 
process  of  diplomas  from  the  University  in  North  Mitrovica,  as  the  mandate  of  the 
Commission  for  the  verification  of  diplomas  was  extended  for  another  six  months. 
Implementation  of  legislation  safeguarding  the  rights  of  persons  belonging  to  non-majority 
communities,  including  language  rights,  needs  strengthening.  Several  new  measures 
adopted  by  the  government  further  undermined  the  access  to  basic  services  for  these 
communities. Adoption of the Civil Code and amendments to the Law on freedom of religion 
remain pending. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should: 

→  ensure better protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and their access to their 

rights; adopt the Law on status recognition, services and benefits; 

→  strengthen  implementation  of  the  Law  on  gender  equality  and  the  strategy  on  gender-
based  violence;  enhance  gender  mainstreaming  of  legislation,  regulations  and  policies; 
adopt the programme for gender equality and the national action plan for Women, Peace 
and Security; 

→  enhance  implementation  of  existing  mechanisms  protecting  the  rights  of  non-majority 

communities and religious communities. 

Freedom of expression  

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  and  made  no  progress.  The  Constitutional  Court 
annulled  the  Law  on  the  Independent  Media  Commission  (IMC),  providing  the  authorities 
with clear guidance to ensure the prompt drafting of a new law. While the media landscape 
is  pluralistic,  it  faces  challenges  related  to  transparency  in  media  ownership  and  financial 
sustainability.  The  environment  in  northern  Kosovo  remains  restrictive,  fostering  self-
censorship among the public, media and civil society.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were not implemented and remain valid. 
In the coming year, Kosovo should: 

→  improve  the  capacity  of  the  prosecutorial,  judicial  and  law-enforcement  authorities  to 
handle  cases  related  to  violence  and  threats  against  journalists  and  other  media 
workers; 

6 

 
 
→  develop protocols and training on the protection and safety of journalists, including early-
warning  and rapid-response  mechanisms;  improve the  working  conditions  of  journalists 
and media workers and strengthen professional reporting; 

→  adopt  and  implement  a  new  Law  on  the  Independent  Media  Commission,  fully  aligned 
with the EU acquis and European standards; review the Law on the Radio Television of 
Kosovo  (RTK)  to  ensure  sustainable  funding,  preserving  the  public  broadcaster’s 
independence; appoint the IMC Board Members, the RTK Board Members and the RTK 
General Director without delays. 

Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security  

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  field  of  justice,  freedom  and  security  and 
made  limited  progress,  notably  through  adopting  the  new  Serious  and  Organised  Crime 
Assessment  (SOCTA),  the  entry  into  force  of  the  Regulation  on  establishment  and 
functioning  of  the  Joint  Investigation  Team  and  formally  establishing  the  early  warning 
system.  The  Law  on  anti-money  laundering  and  combating  the  financing  of  terrorism, 
adopted  by  the  Assembly,  is  under  Constitutional  Court’s  review  on  procedural  grounds. 
Efforts  to  recruit  Kosovo  Serb  and  other  non-majority  communities’  cadets  to  address  the 
resignation  gap  in  Mitrovica  North  Regional  Police  Directorate  had  tangible  results.  In  the 
field  of  migration,  the  revised  contingency  plan  to  manage  migration  flows  is  pending 
government approval.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  increase the number of final convictions for money laundering; set up a national centre 

for countering terrorism and violent extremism; 

→  continue to implement the EU Action Plan on Western Balkans for migration; amend the 
Law  on  foreigners  in  line  with  EU  standards  and  develop  a  new  comprehensive  and 
cross-sectoral strategy on migration; 

→  progressively  align  its  visa  policy  with  the  EU  list  of  visa-required  third  countries; 
continue  to  address the  issue  of  unfounded  asylum  applications  by  Kosovo  citizens  by 
improving  screenings  at  departures,  continuing  to  engage  with  the  most  affected  EU 
Member  States  and  rolling  out  the  information  campaign  on  rights  and  obligations 
associated with visa-free travel in the EU. 

Fight against serious and organised crime 

Kosovo is between an early stage of preparation and having some level of preparation 
in  the  fight  against  organised  crime  and  made  some  progress  in  this  area,  notably  by 
launching the Joint Money Laundering Intelligence Network Kosovo (JMLINK) and adopting 
a new Serious and Organised Crime Assessment (SOCTA). Information exchanged via the 
Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA) increased significantly.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  adopt  the  national  strategy  against  organised  crime  and  its  action  plan,  in  line  with  EU 
standards;  further  improve  the  investigation  and  prosecution  of  high-profile  organised 
crime; proactively target and map organised criminal groups and networks;  

→  strengthen  the  efficiency  of  the  criminal  confiscation  regime;  to  that  end,  establish  a 
confiscation fund and increase use of confiscation tools by the prosecution and police; 

→  strengthen mechanisms for reintegrating victims of trafficking in human beings. 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS 

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The existence of a functioning market economy 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  and  made  some  progress  in  developing  a 
functioning  market  economy.  Economic  growth  picked  up  on  the  back  of  stronger  private 
consumption and a surge in public investment. Despite a strong increase in public spending, 
the  2024  budget  remained  close  to  balance,  due  to  robust  revenue  performance.  Fiscal 
challenges  persist  given 
investment 
management, insufficient targeting of social benefits and poor financial oversight of publicly-
owned enterprises (POEs). Despite employment gains, the labour market continues to face 
challenges, such as low participation and high unemployment rates as well as a significant 
gender  gap.  The  banking  sector  continues  to  be  sound  and  resilient.  Some  progress  was 
made  in  reducing  the  size  of  the  informal  sector  and  improving  the  business  environment, 
notably through a speedier settlement of commercial disputes.  

tax  base,  weaknesses 

the  narrow 

in  public 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely  valid.  To  improve  the  functioning  of  the  market  economy,  Kosovo  should,  in 
particular:  

→  strengthen  the  revenue  base  by  reducing  loopholes  and  exemptions,  including  by 

amending tax legislation;  

→  improve  the  quality  of  public  spending  by  addressing  remaining  weaknesses  in  public 

investment management and better targeting social benefits; 

→  reduce fiscal risks by improving financial oversight and accountability of POEs. 

The capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces in the EU 

Kosovo  is  between  an  early  stage  and  some  level  of  preparation  and  made  some 
progress in terms of its capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces in the 
EU. The education system does not adequately equip students with the skills demanded by 
the  labour  market.    Limited  progress  was  made  in  improving  transport  infrastructure  while 
some  progress  was  made  in  promoting  renewable  energy  sources  and  digitalising  the 
economy.  The  economy  remains  highly  reliant  on  small  and  micro  firms,  which  cannot 
compete internationally. Trade openness increased significantly compared with 2019.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented. To improve 
competitiveness and sustain long-term growth, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  align  education  with  labour  market  needs,  including  by  revising  the  legal  framework  on 

vocational education and training (VET) and adult education; 

→  develop transparent and competitive procedures for deploying renewable energy; 

→  facilitate  private-sector  investment  and  improve  mechanisms  to  attract  FDI  in  strategic 
sectors,  promoting  the  adoption  of  higher  value-added  products  and  services  and 
innovation. 

Chapter 5 – Public procurement 

Kosovo is between having some and a moderate level of preparation and made limited 
progress  in  this  area.  Kosovo  advanced  with  the  use  of  best  price-quality  ratio  criterion, 
reduced the use of negotiated procedures without prior publication of a contract notice and 
started interconnecting its e-procurement platform with other government IT systems.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  adopt  a  new 

law  on  public-private 
partnerships/concessions  in  line  with  the  EU  acquis  and  Reform  Agenda commitments; 
develop respective implementing legislation and secure its proper application;  

law  on  public  procurement  and  a  new 

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→  ensure  that  the  Procurement  Review  Body  (PRB)  is  fully  operational  and  functionally 
independent,  with  a  strengthened  capacity  to  ensure  its  review  process  is  timely, 
effective and transparent; 

→  upgrade the e-procurement platform in line with the new Law on public procurement and 

improve its efficiency. 

Chapter 18 – Statistics 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  this  area.  Limited  progress  was  made  in 
producing new statistical products and more frequent transmission of data to Eurostat. The 
final results of Kosovo’s population and housing census were published in December 2024.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should in particular: 

→  ensure increased access to and use of available administrative data sources; strengthen 
coordination  of  the  statistical  system  among  key  statistical  institutions,  in  particular  the 
Ministry of Finance;  

→  increase  capacities  to  report  on  government  financial  statistics  according  to  the  ESA 

2010; 

→  fill vacant positions in the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) to strengthen its capacities, 

with a particular emphasis on an increased use of information technology. 

Chapter 32 – Financial control 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  and  made  limited  progress  in  implementing  the 
strategic priorities.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented  and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should in particular: 

→  adopt  the  new  legislation  concerning  public  financial  management,  external  audit  and 
protecting  the  EU  financial  interests  and  the  euro,  and  ensure  it  is  implemented, 
including by strengthening the administrative capacity across the PFM system; 

→  strengthen the managerial accountability of budget users at both central and local levels, 
on the grounds of robust evaluation of the performance of the management and control 
systems; 

→  improve 

implementation  of 
transparency of the external audit. 

the 

the  NAO  recommendations  and  enhance 

the 

CLUSTER 2: INTERNAL MARKET 

Chapter 1 – Free movement of goods 

Kosovo  is  between  having  some  and  a  moderate  level  of  preparation  in  this  area  and 
made no progress.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  adopt the Law on inspection and product conformity to fully align with the EU acquis on 
market surveillance and on mutual recognition, and increase the enforcement capacity of 
the conformity assessment and market surveillance bodies;   

→  start the implementation of the new Law on Central Inspectorate of Market Surveillance; 

9 

 
 
 
→  ensure full alignment with more of the EU ‘new and global approach, ‘old approach’ and 

procedural measures. 

Chapter 2 – Freedom of movement for workers 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  and  made  some  progress  in  the  freedom  of 
movement for workers. One bilateral agreement on social security was signed with Croatia. 
The negotiations with Austria and Türkiye are concluded, and the agreements are awaiting 
signature by the government and ratification by the Assembly.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should in particular: 

→  continue to work on concluding additional agreements on social security coordination, in 
particular  with  EU  Member  States,  and  develop  IT  infrastructures  for  the  European 
Health  Insurance  Card  (EHIC)  and  Electronic  Exchange  of  Social  Security  Information 
(EESSI)  purposes,  as  well  as  administrative  capacities  in  view  of  joining  the  future 
EESSI Network; 

→  start  work  to  prepare  for  joining  the  European  Network  of  Employment  Services 

(EURES); 

→  start to work on legislation to preserve the supplementary pension rights of  people who 

have worked abroad, including in EU Member States. 

Chapter 3 – Right of establishment and freedom to provide services 

Kosovo  is  moderately  prepared  and  made  limited  progress,  notably  as  regards 
professional  qualifications.  However,  sectoral  laws  are  still  not  compliant  with  the  EU 
Services Directive and Kosovo’s point of single contact (PSC) is not fully functional.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  closely monitor the implementation of the latest action plan to render sectoral legislation 
compliant with the EU Services Directive, and launch a functional and informative PSC;  

→  align  with  the  Regulation  on  cross-border  parcel  delivery  service  and  strengthen 
institutional capacity to monitor and ensure compliance with the new rules in the postal 
market; 

→  align  the  legal  framework  with  the  EU  acquis  on  mutual  recognition  of  professional 
qualifications, including the Directive on recognition of professional qualifications and the 
Directive on a proportionality test. 

Chapter 4 – Free movement of capital 

Kosovo  is  moderately  prepared  and  made  some  progress,  with the  entry  into  force  of  a 
new  Law  on  the  register  of  beneficial  owners.  The  adopted  Law  on  payment  services  and 
the adopted Law on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing,  are pending 
a  review  by  the  Constitutional  Court  on  procedural  grounds.  The  exchange  of  information 
and  supervisory  capacities  in  the  fight  against  money  laundering  and  terrorism  financing 
have improved.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  partially  implemented  and  in  the 
coming year, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  further  align  with  the  EU  Payment  Services  Directive  2  and  the  Electronic  Money 
Directive  2  and  continue  the  gradual  liberalisation  of  capital  movements  including  on 
foreign exchange operations;  

10 

 
 
→ align the Law on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing with the EU 
acquis  and  take  additional  measures  to  ensure  the  effective  implementation  of  the 
legislation  in  this  area,  including  adopting  necessary  bylaws  and  standard  operating 
procedures; 

→ continue  to  strengthen  inter-institutional  cooperation  and  step  up  action  in  the  fight 
against  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing  and  build  a track  record  on  increased 
monitoring,  supervision,  financial  intelligence,  investigation  and  reporting  in  the  fight 
against economic and financial crime. 

Chapter 6 – Company law 

Kosovo has some level of preparation, and made limited progress in further aligning its 
legal framework with the EU acquis in the area of company law.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  adopt  the  draft  Law  on  business  organisations,  to  further  align  its  legal  framework  with 

the EU acquis on company law; 

→  further  align  with  the  most  recent  acquis  on  the  use  of  digital  tools  and  processes  in 

company law and cross-border conversions, mergers and divisions;  

→  further  align  its  legal  framework  with  the  EU  acquis  on  company  reporting,  country-by-
country  reporting  ,  and  transparency,  as  well  as  strengthen  both  the  institutional  audit 
oversight structures and the professional independence/objectivity of auditors and audit 
firms; and ensure that these structures are sufficiently and sustainably funded. 

Chapter 7 – Intellectual property law 

Kosovo  is  moderately  prepared  in  the  area  of  intellectual  property  rights  (IPR).  Limited 
progress  was  achieved  by  approving  the  2025-27  Industrial  Property  Programme  and 
efficient  handling  of  cases and  disputes  of  by the Commercial  Court  in  this  field.  However, 
Kosovo  needs  to  significantly  strengthen  its  institutional  capacities  and  resources  to 
effectively implement and enforce the legal framework on intellectual property rights. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should in particular: 

→  improve the implementation of the adopted legislation, with a focus on strategic planning 

and capacity-building; 

→  adopt implementing legislation for industrial property laws, including on topographies of 
semiconductor  products  and  trade  secrets,  and  ensure  effective  implementation  of  the 
Law on copyright and related rights; 

→  enhance  collaboration  with  the  European  Union  Intellectual  Property  Office  (EUIPO), 

leveraging its expertise, networks and specialised databases. 

Chapter 8 – Competition policy 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  and  made  limited  progress  in  this  area,  notably 
through slightly improving the enforcement of competition legislation, but it did not progress 
in the area of State aid.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should in particular:  

→  establish  a  functional  State  Aid  Commission,  in  line  with  the  SAA  and  Reform  Agenda 

obligations; 

11 

 
 
→  further  align  the  legislative  framework  in  the  area  of  State  aid  with  the  EU  acquis,  and 

ensure competition and State aid legislation is enforced; 

→  guarantee  the  operational  independence  and  functional  capacity  of  competition  and 
including 

increase  coordination  between  all  stakeholders, 

State  aid  authorities; 
ministries, regulators and the judiciary. 

Chapter 9 – Financial services 

Kosovo is moderately prepared and made limited progress, notably by amending the Law 
on banks, aiming to further align its legal framework with the acquis on capital requirements 
and on bank recovery and resolution.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  align  its  legal  framework  with  the  Solvency  II  Directive;  and  ensure  the  relevant 

legislation is implemented; 

→  continue  efforts  to  align  with  the  EU  acquis  related  to  the  regulation  of  securities 
markets,  investment  funds,  investment  services,  financial  markets  infrastructure  and 
digital finance; 

→  further  align  its  legal  framework  with  the  Deposit  Guarantee  Scheme  Directive  and  the 

EU acquis on bank recovery and resolution, and establish a resolution fund.  

Chapter 28 – Consumer and health protection 

Kosovo  is  at  an  early  stage  of  preparation  in  this  area  and  made  limited  progress, 
notably  by  adopting  the  2025-2030  Health  Sector  Strategy,  several  relevant  by-laws, 
instructions  and  clinical  protocols.  However,  the  implementation  of  health  sector  reforms 
remains slow.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  adopt the Law on consumer protection and start aligning with the new EU product safety 

acquis; 

→  ensure  a  more  efficient  implementation  of  the  initiated  reforms  in  the  health  sector; 
introduce  appropriate  health  financing  reforms  to  ensure  progress  towards  universal 
health coverage and improve the efficiency and quality of health services. 

CLUSTER 3: COMPETITIVENESS AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH 

Chapter 10: Digital transformation and media 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  digital  transformation  and  media. 
Kosovo made  some  progress,  notably  by  adopting the  implementing  legislation stemming 
from  the  Law  on  cybersecurity,  expanding  and  online  services  through  the  e-Kosova 
platform,  and  advancing  the  deployment  of  the  5G  network,  which  now  covers  75%  of  the 
territory. Further alignment with the EU acquis, a limited number of online services, outdated 
and fragmented platforms, and cybersecurity risks remain a challenge.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  align  its  legislation  with  the  European  Electronic  Communications  Code  and  the  EU 

Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2);  

12 

 
 
 
→  ensure that telecommunication and media regulators are given appropriate resources to 
fulfil  their  mandates  independently;  and  develop  a  solution  to  ensure  that  the  public 
service broadcaster is sustainably funded; 

→  implement  number  portability  to  ensure  effective  use  of  numbering  resources  and 

encourage competition. 

Chapter 16 - Taxation 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  this  area,  with  some  progress  made,  notably 
through implementing risk-based audits, enforcement and digitalisation, as well as improving 
compliance audits and with regard to formalisation measures. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  initiate a tax policy revision and broaden the tax base, including further legal alignment 

with the EU acquis; 

→  prioritise  the  use  of  domestic  and  international  third-party  data  to  address  international 

tax avoidance and evasion; 

→  strengthen  the  administrative  and  professional  capacity  of  the  Tax  Administration  of 
Kosovo  (TAK)  by  setting  out  clear  rules  on  jobs,  recruitment,  performance  evaluation, 
merit-based promotion and transfers. 

Chapter 17 – Economic and monetary policy 

Kosovo is moderately prepared and some progress was made in this area, notably as the 
Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) continued improving its governance. While Kosovo advanced 
with  collecting  and  transmitting  data  to  Eurostat,  methodological  inconsistencies  persist  in 
some areas.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  increase  its  capacity  to  report  on  government  financial  statistics  according  to  the  ESA 

2010; and ensure regular monitoring of standards; 

→  improve the quality of macroeconomic forecasting in the budgetary process; 

→  align Kosovo’s budget framework with the EU acquis. 

Chapter 19 – Social policy and employment 

Kosovo has some level of preparation in this area. There was good progress, in particular 
with  the  increased  pace  of  reforms  implemented  by  the  Labour  Inspectorate,  the 
continuation  of  the  piloting  of  a  reform  of  the  social  assistance  scheme  and  the  efforts  to 
implement the Youth Guarantee scheme. The rate of fatal occupational accidents continued 
to decline, whereas the reporting of non-fatal accidents increased. Kosovo needs to continue 
aligning with the EU acquis on non-discrimination and equality, including gender equality.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were implemented to a large extent and 
in the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  adopt  pending  legislation,  namely  amendments  to  the  Law  on  labour,  a  new  law  on 
employment and a new law on health and safety at work, making sure to align the legal 
framework  with  the  EU  acquis,  notably  in  relation  to  equality  and  non-discrimination  in 
employment as well as parental leave; 

→  continue the reform of social assistance scheme and increase the funding and quality of 

service delivery at the municipal level; 

13 

 
 
→  continue the preparations for a full roll-out of the Youth Guarantee scheme.  

Chapter 20 – Enterprise and industrial policy 

Kosovo  is  moderately  prepared  and  made  limited  progress  by  continuing  to  implement 
the 2030 strategy for industrial development and business support.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming period, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  move  forward  with  the  implementation  of  the  strategy  for  industrial  development  and 
business  support  for  2030,  and  the  sustainable  economic  growth  pillar  of  the  national 
development strategy for 2021-2030; 

→  urgently improve capacity at the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade; 

→  complete the establishment of the two separate investment promotion and SME support 

agencies, and ensure that both are sufficiently resourced. 

Chapter 25 – Science and research 

Kosovo is at an early stage of preparation. It made limited progress, taking further steps 
towards  a  strategic  approach  to  research  and  innovation.  Funding  of  innovation  support 
measures has started. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  intensify efforts to establish a positive trend in its Horizon Europe participation and make 

progress in developing a smart specialisation strategy; 

→  adopt the law on innovation and entrepreneurship and create a system to reliably provide 
research,  science and technology  and  innovation  statistics,  so it  can join the  European 
Innovation Scoreboard; 

→  ensure  a  structural  increase  in  public  funding  for  the  research  sector,  with  clear  and 

accessible data available to the public.  

Chapter 26 – Education and culture 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  field  of  education  and  culture.  There  was 
some  progress,  mainly  with  the  adoption  of  by-laws  for  the  Law  on  early  childhood 
education  and  with  growing  budget  allocations  for  early  childhood  education,  including  for 
related infrastructure. However, the quality of education needs improvement, especially pre-
university  education.  Children  from  vulnerable  groups  continue  to  be  marginalised,  in 
particular children from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  partially  implemented  and  in  the 
coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  continue  to  implement  the  roadmap  outlined  in  its  education  strategy  for  2022-2026, 

assess the progress and update/revise the strategy for post-2026;  

→  strengthen  vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  governance,  institutionalise  quality 

assessment of teachers and schools and improve digital skills; 

→  systematically apply quality assurance mechanisms at all education levels, especially for 

basic/pre-university education. 

Chapter 29 – Customs union 

14 

 
 
Kosovo is moderately prepared and made some progress, notably by expanding the use 
of publicly operated customs terminals, reducing customs terminal fees, increasing revenue 
collection, fighting customs fraud and strengthening the capacities of Kosovo Customs. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  partially  implemented.  In  the 
coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  finalise and approve the implementing legislation for the new Customs and Excise Code, 

in line with the EU requirements; 

→  continue to strengthen the administrative and professional capacities of Kosovo Customs 
by  implementing  the  Customs  and  Excise  Code  rules,  particularly  related  to  jobs, 
performance  evaluation,  merit-based  promotion and transfers  and  by combating customs 
fraud, in particular smuggling of tobacco products, by cooperating with the European Anti-Fraud 
Office (OLAF); continue the development of the digital customs systems and adopt an IT 
strategy and action plan. 

→  facilitate  trade  agreements,  including  by  abolishing  all  remaining  fees  charged  to 
exporters/importers at public, publicly operated and private inland customs terminals. 

CLUSTER 4: THE GREEN AGENDA AND SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIVITY 

Chapter 14 – Transport policy 

Kosovo has some level of preparation the area and made some progress by adopting the 
Law on roads and the intelligent transport system (ITS) action plan. More action is needed to 
implement the EU acquis.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  invest  in  road  maintenance  and  inspections; continue road safety campaigns; and set 

up an effective monitoring mechanism for collecting crash data;  

→  align its legal framework with the EU rail  acquis, particularly the 4th railway package for 

both the market and technical pillar;  

→  ensure  sufficient  capacity  and  resources  to  implement  the  intelligent  transport  system 
strategy; and align the legislative framework with the EU passenger rights acquis across 
all modes of transport. 

Chapter 15 - Energy 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in the  area  of  energy  and made  some  progress, 
notably  by  launching  100  MW  wind  auction,  investing  in  energy  efficiency  upgrades  for 
public and residential buildings and making a step towards liberalisation of electricity market. 
However, Kosovo remains heavily reliant on outdated coal-fired power plants and needs to 
accelerate the deployment of renewable energy sources and investment in energy efficiency.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented, and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  adopt its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and the package of energy laws to 
ensure  alignment  with  the  Electricity  Integration  Package  and  Clean  Energy  Package; 
and organise the next round of renewables auctions; 

→  speed up the environmental upgrade of the Kosovo B thermal power plant and the works 

for decommissioning the non-working parts of the Kosovo A thermal power plant; 

15 

 
 
 
→  improve  the  implementation  of  energy  efficiency  legislation,  including  on  energy 

performance of buildings, and continue energy efficiency investment. 

Chapter 21 – Trans-European Networks 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area.  Limited  progress  was  made  by 
continuing works on Rail Route 10 and by initiating the intra-day electricity market coupling 
with Albania.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  strengthen 

its 

institutional  and  administrative  capacity 

to 

implement  strategic 

infrastructure projects; 

→  continue implementing pending transport and energy connectivity projects; 

→  proceed with the signalling works; complete the first phase of Rail Route 10 from Fushë 

Kosovë/Kosovo Polje to the border with North Macedonia. 

Chapter 27 – Environment and climate change 

Kosovo is  at an  early  stage  of  preparation  in this  area  and made  limited  progress.  The 
Ministry  of  Environment,  Spatial  Planning  and  Infrastructure  (MESPI)  took  some  steps  to 
improve  its  administrative  capacity,  but  final  restructuration  of  MESPI  is  pending.  The 
integrated  waste  management  strategy,  including  2024-2026  action  plan  and  recycling 
targets, was approved in December 2024.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  ensure that appropriate measures are taken to manage protected areas and stop them 

becoming contaminated;  

→  amend the Law on waste management;  

→  implement  the  Law  on  climate  change  and  align  with  and  implement  the  Monitoring 

Reporting Verification and Accreditation (MRVA acquis. 

CLUSTER 5: RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND COHESION 

Chapter 11 - Agriculture 

Kosovo has some level of preparation and made limited progress in agriculture and rural 
development. The national programme for agriculture and rural development for 2023-2027 
is being implemented. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  strengthen  the  administrative  and  technical  capacity  of  both  the  Department  of  Rural 
Development  Policy  (managing  authority)  and  the  Agency  for  Agricultural  Development 
(paying agency); 

→  adopt  the  law  on  agriculture  and  rural  development  advisory  services  and  the 

implementing legislation on the market organisation for agricultural products; 

→  amend or repeal the Law on agricultural land and take urgent and effective measures to 

stop the loss of agricultural land. 

Chapter 12 – Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy 

16 

 
 
 
Kosovo  is  moderately  prepared  in  the  area  of  food  safety,  veterinary  and  phytosanitary 
policies.  Some  progress  was  made.  Kosovo  has  ensured  full  funding  for  the  oral  rabies 
vaccination campaigns for 2025 and 2026 and has completed the selection of the operator 
for the Category 1 animal by-product processing plant. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  of  the  implementing  bodies  by  increasing  the 

number and expertise of the staff; 

→  adopt the  draft  law  on  animal  health;  approve the 5-year  development  plan  for  disease 
monitoring  and  control; and  ensure  appropriate financial  and  human resources  for  their 
implementation; 

→  start work on the harmonisation and adoption of legislation in the area of phytosanitary 
policy, in line with the EU acquis, and prepare a national plan to upgrade food, feed and 
animal by-product establishments to EU standards. 

Chapter 13 – Fisheries and aquaculture 

Kosovo remains at an early stage of preparation in this chapter and made no progress.  

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  not  implemented,  and  remain 
valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular: 

→  adopt a multiannual strategy for aquaculture, and strengthen the administrative capacity 

of the implementing bodies, by increasing the number and expertise of the staff; 

→  draft  a  law  on  fisheries  and  aquaculture  and  further  align  its  market  policy  with  the 

acquis; 

→  create an inventory of fish species covering the entire territory of Kosovo. 

Chapter 22 – Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments 

Kosovo  remains  at  an  early  stage  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  regional  policy  and 
coordination  of  structural  instruments.  Limited  progress  was  made,  notably  by  improving 
the legislative and monitoring frameworks. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  implemented  to  a  limited  extent 
and remain largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should in particular: 

→  improve administrative capacity for programming, management, control, monitoring and 
evaluation  of  EU  funds,  notably  strengthen  the  internal  control  framework  and  internal 
audit capacity, and establish functioning anti-fraud coordination services; 

→  urgently strengthen public investment management, by adopting: (i) updated single and 
sector  project  pipelines,  based  on  sound,  transparent  and  inclusive  public  investment 
selection; and (ii) a methodology for effectively and transparently managing government 
expenditure on public infrastructure; 

→  create a structured and inclusive sector-based policy dialogue to improve and guide the 

use of EU funds and streamline the coordination of donor support. 

CLUSTER 6: EXTERNAL RELATIONS 

Chapter 30 – External relations 

Kosovo  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  external  relations.  Some  progress 
was  made,  in  particular  in  de-blocking  the  Central  European  Free  Trade  Agreement 
(CEFTA) decision-making, with Kosovo holding the CEFTA chairmanship for 2025. Despite 

17 

 
 
 
the continued implementation of the Common Regional Market (CRM) action plan for 2021-
2024,  Kosovo has  still  not  ratified  CEFTA  additional  protocols  on trade facilitation,  trade  in 
services and dispute settlement. While exports were up, the trade deficit remained high, and 
Kosovo has yet to implement a comprehensive trade policy.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain 
largely valid. In the coming year, Kosovo should, in particular:  

→  continue  to  implement  actions  under  the  CRM  action  plan  for  2025-2028,  ratify  and 
implement the  CEFTA  Additional  Protocol  (AP)  5  on  trade  facilitation,  AP  6 on  trade in 
services and AP 7 on dispute settlement;  

→  approve the Regulation on the establishment of the trade facilitation enquiry point; align 

legislation on screening of foreign investments with the EU acquis; 

→  start the process of establishing a development and humanitarian aid policy. 

* * * 

2.   THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS 

2.1. FUNCTIONING OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM 

2.1.1  Democracy  

functioning  of  democratic 

The 
faces  some  challenges.  Disagreements, 
polarisation and lack of cooperation between political parties prevented significant progress 
on  EU-related reforms. These  disagreements  and  Srpska  Lista’s  (SL)  prolonged boycott  of 
Assembly  sessions  in  previous  legislature  undermined  the  institution’s  ability  to  adopt 
legislation, appoint members of public bodies and provide effective oversight.  

institutions 

The  electoral  campaign  also  slowed  down  decision-making.  Polarising  language  against 
opponents continued to be used in political debates. Since February elections, the Assembly 
has  continuously  failed  to  establish  itself,  which  is  a  pre-condition  for  a  government  to  be 
formed. Due to this political gridlock, the outgoing government has been in caretaker status 
since  23  March  2025,  equipped  with  only  limited  executive  functions.  This  impasse 
undermines  the  functioning  of  democratic  institutions  and  risks  eroding  public  trust  in  the 
democratic processes.  

The  reporting  period  saw  repeated  criticism  by  members  of  the  government  towards  the 
judiciary  and  the  Constitutional  Court.  All  such  instances  of  undue  interference  must  be 
avoided  and  the  independency  of  the  judicial  power  and  the  Constitutional  Court  must  be 
adhered to at all times.    

Elections  

on 

Kosovo 
held 
parliamentary  elections 
on 9 February 2025, the 
first  under  the  revised 
Law 
general 
elections.  The  EU  EOM 
election 
rated 
peaceful,  inclusive  and 
Positive 
competitive. 
aspects 
included  high 
compliance  with  gender 
representation  quotas, 
the  smooth  conduct  of 
the 
the 

voting 

the 

on 

18 

 
 
 
Election  Day  and  effective  handling  of  complaints  by  the  Election  Complaints  and  Appeals 
Panel (ECAP) and the Supreme Court.  

The legal framework regulating political party and campaign financing establishes clear rules 
for public funding, expenditure limits, and transparency requirements. While the framework is 
broadly  aligned  with  international  standards  and  assigns  oversight  responsibilities  to  a 
dedicated office, there are concerns about the absence of interim financial reporting and the 
lack of regulation of third-party financing. At the same time, political interference, institutional 
shortcomings  and  organisational  delays  undermined  the  overall  electoral  process.  Key 
institutions – the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the Independent Media Commission 
(IMC) – were subject to political pressure.  

Voter  turnout  stood  at  46.54%,  with  966 283  votes  cast.  Out-of-country  voting  faced 
significant  logistical  and  political  challenges,  including  allegations  of  irregularities  in  postal 
voting. Women's participation has been steadily increasing, yet it does not exceed the 30% 
gender quota as established by the law. Of the 1 279 certified candidates, 443 were women 
(34.6%),  while  45  were  elected  to  the  Parliament.  In  relative  terms,  8.8%  (39  out  of  443) 
were  elected  on  their  own  merit  before  the  gender  quota  was  applied.  This  result  reflects 
persisting  structural  challenges:  male  dominance  in  campaign  spaces,  limited  media 
exposure for  women  candidates, fewer  campaign  resources  and a political  discourse  often 
marred  by  misogynistic  rhetoric  and  personal  attacks.  These  barriers,  combined  with  the 
persistence  of  patriarchal  norms  in  party  platforms  and  public  life,  continue  to  undermine 
women's  equal  participation  and  influence  in  Kosovo’s  electoral  politics,  despite  formal 
quotas and legal commitment. 

Challenges  related  to  accessibility  have  also  affected  the  right  to  vote  for  persons  with 
disabilities in recent elections.   

The  procedural  phase  following  the  vote  was  affected  by  shortcomings.  The  CEC  failed  to 
publish preliminary results on election night and was unprepared to begin vote counting the 
following day. The results were certified only on 27 March, almost seven weeks later. These 
considerable  delays,  resulting  from  technical  issues  in  the  results  publication  system  and 
delays  in  counting  at  municipal  centres,  raised  concerns  about  the  efficiency  and 
transparency  of  electoral  administration.  There  were  concerns  regarding  the  accuracy  of 
voter certification by the CEC, primarily due to shortcomings in the civil registration system. 
The  candidate  certification  process  was  marred  by  political  interference,  notably  the 
attempted exclusion of SL candidates by Vetëvendosje (VV)-affiliated CEC members.  

The  official  electoral  campaign  ran  from  11  January  to  9  February  2025.  While  there  were 
high levels of engagement, the campaign also saw confrontational rhetoric, particularly from 
the  ruling  party.  The  EU  EOM  reported  that  voters  in  Kosovo  Serb-majority  areas  faced 
undue  pressure  from  SL.  Spending  on  online  campaigning  reached  unprecedented  levels, 
and the absence of legal regulations for pre-campaign activities created a loophole for early, 
unregulated campaigning and spending.  

The media environment remained polarised, with some outlets accused of partisan bias and 
the  IMC  failing  to  act  on  media  violations  during  the  campaign  due  to  a  lack  of  decision-
making  quorum.  The  media  environment  was  subject  to  electoral  disinformation  attempts 
from  both  internal  and  external  sources,  including  misinformation  campaigns  by  Russia-
affiliated outlets such as  RT Balkan and Sputnik Srbija. While local fact-checking initiatives 
worked  to  debunk  false  information,  their  impact  was  limited,  especially  due  to  language 
constraints  and  lack  of  reach.  Despite  some  efforts,  Kosovo  institutions,  particularly  the 
CEC, missed key opportunities to proactively counter disinformation. 

Political parties also faced penalties for utilising children in electoral campaigning. 

Despite attempts to politicise the certification process, the first round of local elections of 12 
October was peaceful, inclusive and competitive, with participation of all communities.  

19 

 
 
Parliament 

The  Assembly  struggled  with  deep  political  polarisation,  procedural  violations,  low 
attendance,  continued  boycotts  and  rushed  legislation,  while  the  government's  majority 
shrank during the term. On one hand, the ruling party’s reliance on procedural shortcuts to 
push through legislation without consensus eroded  the credibility of the legislative process. 
On  the  other  hand,  opposition  parties  misused  parliamentary  oversight  instruments, 
disrupting the legislative flow. The introduction of the electronic voting system was a positive 
development.  

Throughout November and December 2024, the Assembly witnessed a legislative push and 
political clashes that highlighted broader governance challenges. The opposition repeatedly 
called for extraordinary sessions, insisted on lengthy debates or boycotted votes, leaving the 
Assembly without a quorum, also for the ratification of international agreements. The ruling 
majority rushed through legislation, at times in violation of procedural norms.  

The  adoption  process  for  the  budget  further  exposed  the  Assembly's  deteriorating 
procedural  integrity,  with  inappropriate  use  of fast-track  procedures in violation  of  standard 
timelines. On  4  December, the  Assembly  adopted  20  laws  in both  readings within a single 
day.  The  opposition  challenged  the  entire  session  and  all  adopted  laws  before  the 
Constitutional Court based on procedural grounds. The Court ruling is still pending. 

Oversight mechanisms were  misused,  while  government  officials  often  failed  to respond to 
committee invitations, appear for scheduled hearings or answer parliamentary questions. As 
a  result,  committees  became  ineffective,  forcing  opposition  MPs  to  escalate  matters  to  the 
plenary. 

After nearly seven months following the parliamentary elections, on 26 August, the Assembly 
elected a new Speaker, as well as four Deputy Speakers, and on 10 October it voted on the 
Deputy Speaker from Kosovo Serb community. While SL referred the 10 October vote to the 
Constitutional Court, whose ruling is pending, President launched the government formation 
process. 

This  months-long  failure  to  constitute  the  Assembly  unearthed  legal  and  procedural 
loopholes and added to the existing polarisation among political parties. The next legislature 
needs to restore procedural integrity and legislative discipline, including  strict adherence to 
the  Rules of  Procedure and constitutional timelines.  A  renewed  political  culture that  values 
consensus-building,  accountability  and  functionality  will  be  essential  for  the  Assembly, 
including with a view to advancing on EU-related reforms. 

Governance 

There has been no major change to the governance structure at the central level. Following 
the  legislative  elections,  the  term  of  the  VV-led  government  formally  ended  on  22  March 
2025  and  it  entered  into  caretaker  government  status  the  following  day,  equipped  with 
limited  executive  powers  to  carry  out  only  the  necessary  activities  planned  in  the  Annual 
Work  Plan  and  Annual  Budget  Law.  Despite  these  restrictions,  the  caretaker  government 
largely  proceeded  with  many  activities  and  only  refrained  from  decisions  requiring 
parliamentary approval.  

Also, there was a significant ruling issued by the Supreme Court concerning the separation 
of  powers  that  reiterates  the  incompatibility  of  simultaneously  holding  a  legislative  and  an 
executive role as outlined in the Constitution and the Law on government. This decision has 
implications  for  the  outgoing  Prime  Minister  and  several  outgoing  ministers  who  continue 
holding a MP mandate. 

Relations  between  central 
remain  strained.  While 
municipalities made progress in strengthening their operations and service delivery, they still 
face key issues related to financial oversight, budget planning and the effective allocation of 
public resources.  

institutions  and  municipalities 

20 

 
 
Although  Kosovo  has  made  progress  in  improving  gender  equality,  disparities  remain. 
Women  are  underrepresented  in  senior  government  positions  and  local  decision-making 
bodies.  

EU integration 

Despite  government’s  commitment  to,  and  public  support  for  Kosovo’s  European  path, 
accompanied  by  positive  communication  on  the  EU  integration  process,  divisive  domestic 
politics  continued  to  hamper  the  implementation  of  the  EU  agenda.  Progress  also  stalled 
due to Assembly inefficiency and the political gridlock in the aftermath of general elections. 
The  institutions  responsible  for  the  EU  integration  process  remain  broadly  in  place. 
Centralisation  of  the  EU  agenda  sometimes  limits  political  ownership  in  line  ministries  and 
slows down decision-making.  

There  is  also  no  permanent  inter-ministerial  coordination  body  at  an  expert  level.  The 
Assembly’s Committee for European Integration has struggled to fulfil its role. EU integration 
activities  were  negatively  affected  by  weak  administrative  capacity  and  the  fact  that  a 
number of key positions in the public administration are held by officials serving in an acting 
capacity.  

Also,  no  meetings  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement  (SAA)  bodies  were  held 
until  July  2025,  as  a  consequence  of  EU  measures  vis-à-vis  Kosovo.  The  first  SAA  sub-
committee  meeting  after  the  announcement  of  the  gradual  lifting  of  some  measures  took 
place on 10 July. 

On  30  October  2024,  the  Assembly  approved  the  2024-2028  National  Programme  for 
European  Integration  (NPEI).  Kosovo  regularly  publishes  reports  on  the  implementation  of 
the NPEI and discusses progress in the Assembly. As part of the EU’s Reform and Growth 
Facility for the Western Balkans, Kosovo adopted its Reform Agenda on 9 October 2024. In 
order to benefit from payments under the Reform and Growth Facility, Kosovo still needs to 
ratify  the  Facility  and  Loan  Agreements.  Kosovo  can  only  request  disbursements  after  the 
agreements have entered into force. 

Civil society 

Mechanisms  for  involving  civil  society  in  decision-making  are  formally  in  place,  but  in 
practice,  consultations  fall  short  of  correctly  applying  the  regulatory  framework  and 
meaningfully considering feedback from civil society. The government needs to comply with 
the consultation period, duly consider this input and provide feedback, and publish updated 
draft proposals and final reports.  

Greater  consultation  with  CSOs  advocating  for  non-majority  communities’  rights,  women’s 
rights and rights of persons with disabilities would be beneficial. Consultations at local level 
and  in  rural  areas  should  also  be  improved.  Several  activists  reported  being  targeted  by 
political figures. 

The  government  should  approve  a  new  Strategy  for  Cooperation  with  Civil  Society,  crucial 
for ensuring a transparent, inclusive and sustainable civic space. The legislation needs to be 
amended to enable tax-deductible donations from businesses and individuals to civil society.  

In  early  2025,  the  government  amended  the  sub-legal  act  regulating  the  registration  and 
operation  of  NGOs,  bringing  the  appeal  process  in  line  with  standard  administrative 
procedures.  The  Regulation  on  public  funding  for  CSOs  is  being  implemented,  but 
comprehensive,  accurate  and  timely  reports  on  public  funding  are  lacking,  as  is  the 
evaluation  of  the  effectiveness  of  allocated  funds.  The  phasing  out  of  US  development 
assistance  exacerbated  this  situation  as  it  laid  bare  the  level  of  CSO’s  dependency  on 
international donors’ funding. 

2.1.2   Public administration reform  

Strategic framework for public administration reform (PAR) 

21 

 
 
The strategic framework for public administration is in place, but the implementation of 
the PAR Strategy (2022-2027) needs to be improved. The government adopted a new Action 
Plan (2025-2027) for implementing the strategy. The Ministerial Council on PAR meets twice 
a  year;  effective  coordination  between  key  institutions  and  administrative  levels  remains  a 
significant challenge.  

The functioning of the digital monitoring platform for the strategy’s implementation needs to 
be  improved.  Building  on  recent  recruitments,  the  Ministry  of  Internal Affairs  (MIA),  in  the 
lead of the reform, needs to further increase its capacity to manage and supervise the cross-
cutting and politically sensitive reforms effectively, and improve the reporting and monitoring 
of  policy  implementation.  In  general, the  implementation of  the PAR  strategic  framework  is 
highly dependent on donor funding.  

Policy development and coordination 

Policy  development  and  coordination  aspects  still  need  to  be  improved.  On  the  policy-
making  system,  the  implementation  of  the  2023  National  Development  Strategy  and  Plan 
continued; yet planning, monitoring and assessment of sectorial policies is a challenge. The 
capacities  of  the  Strategic  Planning  Office  in  the  Office  of  the  Prime  Minister  need  further 
strengthening,  to  carry  out  planning,  monitoring,  reporting  and  implement  ex-ante  impact 
assessment effectively.  

A  considerable part  of  policy  planning  takes place  without regulatory  impact  assessment. 
While  the  government  rules  of  procedure  clarify  different  aspects  of  policy  development, 
detailed  instructions  and  manuals  still  need  to  be  developed  to  ensure  improved  inter-
institutional coordination.  

There  has  been  no  progress  on  either  gender  mainstreaming  or  inclusive  and  evidence-
based  policy-making.  While  most  of  ministries  and  municipalities  appoint  gender  equality 
officers, they lack capacity and training to carry out their work meaningfully. 

Public financial management 

Public financial management (PFM) is broadly in place but needs to be improved further. 
The Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers implements the PFM Strategy 2022-2026 but 
has  not  yet  adopted  the  action  plan  for  2025/26.  The  legislation  does  not  fully  incorporate 
gender-responsive budgeting rules.  

Kosovo is implementing a project on the registration and tracking of invoices but still needs 
to  approve  the  national  strategy  for  the  prevention  and  the  fight  against  the  informal 
the 
economy,  money 
implementation  of  investment  projects  continue  to  lack  a  coherent  approach  on  feasibility 
studies  and  cost-benefit  analyses.  Kosovo  still  needs  to  improve  the  quality  of  project 
information  in  the  public  investment  programme  system  and  its  links  with  the Financial 
Management Information System.  

terrorism.  The  design  and 

laundering  and 

financing  of 

the 

The  link  between  strategic  planning  and  budgeting  remains  weak.  Progress  was  made  in 
analysing  and  quantifying  fiscal  risk  statements.  On  budget  transparency,  information 
booklets  for the  public  and  budget  implementation  reports  are published systematically. In-
year  budget reports  provide  information for  both  aggregate and individual  first-level  budget 
users (see chapters on public procurement, taxation customs and financial control). 

Public service and human-resource management 

The  public  service  and  human-resource  management  system  needs  to  be  improved. 
Adopted  amendments  to  the  Law  on  public  officials  (LPO)  introduced  substantive  systemic 
changes,  including  -fixed-term  mandates  at  all  managerial  levels,  that  put  at  risk  the 
professionalisation of the civil service. The law does not guarantee a steady career system, 
as  promotion  is  not  possible  within  the  system,  while  all  managerial  positions  are  open  to 
external competition.  

22 

 
 
Following  the  latest  round  of  amendments  to  the  LPO  in  October  2024,  the  Constitutional 
Court  confirmed  its  constitutionality  in  May  2025,  including  term  limits  for  senior  public 
service  roles.  However,  serious  concerns  remain  about  politicisation  effects,  limited  career 
advancement and civil service stability.  

The  system  for  merit-based  recruitment,  promotion  and  dismissal  of  civil  servants 
remained  inefficient.  There  are  delays  in  launching  centralised  recruitment.  There  are  a 
considerable  number  of  acting  positions  at  high  and  medium  management  level,  which 
undermines the stability of the system.  

Although  all  central  government  bodies  use  the  human  resource  management  information 
system  (HRMIS),  not  all  update  the  information  in  it;  moreover,  there  is  no  interoperability 
with  the  payroll  system  in  the  Treasury  at  the  Ministry  of  Finance.  Public  service  job 
announcements  are  available  on  a  single  web  portal. The  implementation  of  the  regulation 
on  performance  appraisal  in  civil  service  is  inefficient.  Representation  of  non-majority 
communities and the number of women in senior positions is unsatisfactory.  

While  the  Law  on  salaries  in  the  public  sector  consolidated  the  remuneration  system,  its 
implementation  has  revealed  deficiencies,  as  the  process  of  job  classification  and 
systematisation of positions has not been finalised and the, still unaddressed, Constitutional 
Court’s judgment declaring several articles of the law unconstitutional.  

The DMPO within the MIA has strengthened its capacities through the recruitment of six new 
staff, however, it should improve coordination with the HRM units of institutions. Due to lack 
of capacity, financial constraints and the overload of appeals, the Independent Civil Service 
Oversight Board was not in the position to efficiently carry out checks on the civil service and 
supervise  the  implementation  of  the  legal  framework.  The  board  does  not  have  a  direct 
electronic access to the HRMIS, which undermines the quality of its work.  

Professional  development  is  in  need  of  further  strengthening.  The  Kosovo  Institute  for 
Public Administration provides training at central and local level, but it is largely dependent 
on  donor  support.  While  mandatory  training  programmes  are  in  place,  training  needs’ 
analysis is insufficient. Provisions on performance appraisal, mobility and promotion of civil 
servants are not applied systematically.  

Integrity  in  the  public  service  remains  a  challenge.  There  are  delays  in  finalising  and 
adopting the integrity plans for institutions or their quality remains inadequate.  

Accountability of the administration 

This  is  insufficient.  Agendas  for  government  sessions  are  not  always  made  public  in 
advance,  and  decisions  are  not  consistently  published  online.  Public  consultations  and 
inclusion  in reforms’  planning  and implementation  is  inefficient.  Several  laws  were  adopted 
through fast-track procedures without proper public consultations.  

Limited  progress  was  made  in  implementing  the  two  laws  on  rationalisation  and 
establishing accountability lines for independent and executive agencies in accordance with 
the  new  Programme  on  the  rationalisation  of  agencies  adopted  in  September  2024. 
Furthermore,  the  number  of  bodies  subordinated  to  the  Parliament  should  be  reduced. 
Parliamentary oversight of the reforms in public administration has to be increased.  

The  Law  on  administrative  disputes,  which  entered  into  force  in  January  2025,  only 
applies  to  new  proceedings,  with  positive  effects  yet  to  emerge.  While  the  legal  basis  and 
mechanisms  regulating  the  access  to  administrative  justice  are  in  place,  long  delays  in 
processing  cases  continue  to  hamper  implementation.  The  legal  framework  on  the  right  to 
seek compensation is not efficiently implemented. The implementation of the Law on access 
to public documents needs to further improve. While 95% of requests are positively fulfilled on 
time, according to government data, complaints by citizens persist.  

Service delivery to the public and businesses 

23 

 
 
Kosovo  made  some  progress  in  service  delivery,  with  the  implementation  of  the  Digital 
Agenda  and  e-government  strategy,  and  with  the  adoption  of  the  Law  on  electronic 
identification and trust services in electronic transactions and the Law on cyber security acts.  

The upgrading of the e-Kosova portal continued: in 2024, a national electronic identification 
(eID)  system  became  operational.  At  the  same  time,  data  quality  and  reliability  is  a 
challenge.  There  is  insufficient  progress  in  aligning  sector  -specific  laws  with  the  Law  on 
general administrative procedures.  

Service  delivery  to  those  in  vulnerable  situations,  including  people  with  disabilities,  is 
inefficient.  In  November  2024,  the  government  adopted  a  new  Administrative  Burden 
Prevention and Reduction programme (2025-2028) and Action plan (2025-2026), leading to 
some  progress  in  simplifying  administrative  services.  There  is  a  need  for  greater  synergy 
between  digital  transformation  initiatives,  administrative  simplification  and  a  user-centric 
approach to service design.  

2.2. RULE OF LAW AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS 

2.2.1  Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights 

The EU’s founding values include the rule of law and respect for human rights. An effective 
(independent,  high-quality  and  efficient)  judicial  system  and  an  effective  fight  against 
corruption are of paramount importance, as is the respect for fundamental rights in law and 
in practice. 

Functioning of the judiciary 

Strategic documents 

Strategic documents are in place, but their implementation needs to be improved. During the 
reporting  period,  the  Kosovo  Judicial  Council  (KJC)  adopted  a  strategic  plan  for 
communication  within  the  judicial  system  (2025-2027)  and  a  strategic  plan  for  efficiently 
handling  cases  of  corruption,  abuse  of  official  duty  and  organised  crime  (2025-2027).  The 
Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC) adopted a strategy for the prosecutorial system (2025-
2027).  

Due to a lack of will and weak management capabilities in justice institutions, the strategies 
are  not  used  effectively  as  tools  for  policy  development.  The  leadership  and  management 
functions  of  the  judiciary  and  prosecution  as  well  as  accountability  mechanisms  should  be 
improved.  

Kosovo updated its rule of law action plan in February 2025, to accompany the rule of law 
strategy.  The  implementation  of  this  strategy  continues  to  encounter  various  obstacles, 
including the failure of the implementing institutions to give it due priority.  

The  government  consulted  the  VC  on the  draft  laws  stemming from the Joint  Statement  of 
Commitment.  The  authorities  must  incorporate  the  VC's  recommendations  in  the  laws 
pending  adoption  by  the  Assembly.  Both  Councils  and  the  Kosovo  Justice Academy (KJA) 
need to implement the reforms without delay.  

Management bodies 

The management bodies and the legal framework governing them are in place, however the 
roles  and  responsibilities  should  be  defined  more  clearly  to  improve  their  enforcement. 
Effective  mechanisms  for  follow-up  and  corrective  actions  to  the  implementation  of 
management  functions  should  be  introduced  through  functional  disciplinary  and  evaluation 
proceedings. Additionally, the Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils as well as all management 
functions  in  the  judiciary  such  as  court  presidents  and  chief  prosecutors  should  adopt  a 
performance-oriented  approach  in  ensuring  quality  and  efficiency  of  the  judiciary  and  the 
prosecution services including through effective disciplinary and evaluation procedures. 

24 

 
 
 
While the KJC leadership demonstrates a clear commitment to advancing the rule of law, the 
KPC  shows  more  limited  determination  and  capabilities.  During  the  reporting  period,  the 
Assembly  consistently  struggled  to  maintain  full  composition  of  the  Councils,  leading  to  a 
lack of  required representation  of  lay members. The  KPC  key  managerial  position  of  Chief 
State Prosecutor has been vacant since April 2022 and filled by an acting prosecutor; thus, 
the  KPC  must  promptly  initiate  a  new  selection  process  based  on  meritocracy  and 
transparency.  

The  recruitment  process  for  Chief  Prosecutors,  appointed  to  most  prosecution  offices,  did 
not meet the merit-based standards enshrined in the applicable regulations.   

The  Law  amending  and  supplementing  the  Law  on  KPC  must  be  implemented  effectively, 
ensuring in particular a pluralistic selection of the lay members. Therefore, reforms within the 
Councils  and  their  related  internal  processes  must  continue  in  line  with  the  VC 
recommendations,  including  further  amendments  to  the  KPC  Law  with  regard  to  the 
composition of the Special Committee for the administration of the selection process of the 
lay members of the Council.  

Independence and impartiality  

improved  at  all 

The independence and impartiality of 
the judiciary and prosecution need to 
levels.  The 
be 
effective implementation of principles 
independence  and 
upholding 
the 
impartiality  of 
judiciary  and 
the 
prosecution  must  be  consistently 
ensured.  Within  the  judiciary  and 
prosecution, 
lack  of 
appropriate  understanding  of  these 
principles,  which  creates  conditions 
for undue influence, particularly from 
within the system.  

there 

is  a 

The  tense  dynamics  between  the  government  and  the  judiciary,  and  especially  the 
prosecution, continued and intensified during the electoral campaign. Some safeguards exist 
for the  transfer  of judges  and prosecutors  without  consent;  however,  additional  safeguards 
are  needed.  A  code  of  ethics  is  in 
place,  but  continuous  efforts  and 
awareness  raising  are  necessary  to 
ensure its effective implementation. 

this 

The  Case  Management 
Information 
System  (CMIS)  enables  the  random 
assignment  of  cases  to  judges  and 
is  not 
prosecutors;  however, 
implemented  consistently. 
fact, 
manual  registration  of  cases  has  been 
reinstated  at  all  court  levels  as  a  tool 
for  parallel  case  registration.  This  is  a 
concern particularly at the appeal court 
level and in the SPO, which deals exclusively with high-level corruption and organised crime 
cases.    

In 

Further improvements are necessary to avoid any internal or external undue influence on the 
work of judges and prosecutors, including undue political interference. During the reporting 
period, only one request for close protection of prosecutors was filed with the police. 

 Accountability  

25 

 
 
The accountability of the judiciary and prosecution needs to be improved. While the Councils 
have  continued  to  pursue  disciplinary  proceedings  against  judges  and  prosecutors,  they 
must  ensure  that  allegations  of  misconduct  are  considered  with  great  seriousness, 
disciplinary  proceedings  are  fair  and  transparent,  and  that  any  sanctions  imposed  are 
proportionate  to  the  seriousness  of  the  misconduct.  Clear  mechanisms  should  be 
established to create an institutional practice that actively promotes that the responsibilities 
are carried out and effective accountability exists at all levels, including within the Councils, 
management of courts and prosecution offices, as well as for judges and prosecutors.   

The legislative framework for disciplinary proceedings must be amended to address the VC 
recommendations,  as  outlined  in  the  relevant  Opinions  from  2025.  While  judges  and 
prosecutors declare their assets annually, there is a need to ensure the consistent and full 
control and verification of these assets, as established by the legislation and recommended 
in the VC opinions. 

Quality of justice 

The quality of justice needs to be further improved. The few high-profile cases on corruption 
and  organised  crime  which  were  finalised  during  the  reporting  period,  including  former 
EULEX cases, mostly ended in acquittals or low sentencing.  

There  are  systemic  challenges  regarding  the  handling  of  serious  crime  and  gender-based 
violence  cases,  notably 
indictments  and 
judgments,  and  inconsistency  in  sentencing  practices.  The  Supreme  Court  took  steps  to 
ensure the consistent application of law, including by publishing new sentencing guidelines. 
Timely  publication  of  judgements,  as  promoted  by  the  KJC,  will  further  strengthen  legal 
certainty and transparency.   

inefficient  prosecution,  deficient 

linked 

to 

Continuous 
recruitment  of  new 
judges  and  prosecutors  presents  a 
valuable  opportunity  to  strengthen 
the effectiveness and fairness of the 
system.  However, 
as 
judicial 
meritocracy 
and 
objectivity, 
transparency 
always 
are 
ensured,  the  recruitment  process 
should  be  improved  in  line  with  the 
VC recommendations.  

not 

As  some  cases  of  undue  influence 
from  within  the  system  have  been 
observed, it is essential that newly appointed judicial staff operates with full independence: 
all judges and prosecutors must be protected from undue influence, also from the hierarchy 
within the systems.  

26 

 
 
  
The  KJC  and  KPC  must  prioritise  their  institutional  needs  based  on  available  human  and 
financial  resources,  focusing  on  actions  that  improve  judicial  performance  and  access  to 
justice.  Sustained  policy  dialogue  between  justice  institutions,  the  government  and  the 
Assembly  is  essential  to  identify  needs,  enable  strategic  planning  and  ensure  effective 
justice delivery.  

The  Kosovo  Bar  Association  and  the  KJC  need  to  take  concrete  measures  to  ensure  that 
lawyers meet and uphold high professional and ethical standards.  

The  training  framework  for  judges  and  prosecutors  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis 
and  the  Council  of  Europe  standards.  The  Kosovo  Justice  Academy  (KJA)  provides 
structured training but lacks the capacity and resources to  fulfil its mission. It relies heavily 
on  donor  funding,  and  despite  having  qualified  staff  and  facilities,  its  impact  is  limited  by 
financial  and  staffing  constraints.  Due  to  the  current  political  situation,  the  amendments  to 
the Law on the KJA and full alignment with European standards are still pending. 

to 

justice 

Weak  compliance  with  the  Law  on 
languages  within  the  justice  system 
for  non-
limits  access 
majority  communities.  The 
limited 
number  of  Kosovo  Serb  notaries 
equally  hinders  effective  access  to 
justice  and  should  be  addressed 
promptly.  Key  documents  often  lack 
translation;  public 
information  and 
official websites are not fully available 
in  all  official  languages.  This  reflects 
limited  institutional  commitment  and 
highlights the need for stronger efforts 
to ensure equal access to justice. 

The  performance  evaluation  system  for  judges  has  undergone  significant  developments 
aimed  at  enhancing  the objectivity  and  effectiveness of  assessments.  Due  to the  changes, 
KJC  can  conduct  random  assessments  of  courts  and  judges  regarding  their  performance, 
including  the  use  of  CMIS.  All  courts  reported  increased  mediation  cases,  and  awareness 
campaigns on mediation are underway. 

Efficiency  

The  efficiency  of  the  justice  system 
is  limited.  The  KJC  took  concrete 
actions  to  improve  clearance  rates 
in  all  cases,  but 
the  average 
fell  slightly 
clearance  rates  still 
compared  to  2023.    On  criminal 
cases, the persistently high number 
of retrials adds to the unreasonably 
long  periods  of  pre-trial  detention. 
Additionally,  civil,  administrative, 
and 
are 
burdened  by  many  instances  of 
long 
retrials, 
disposition  times,  even  though  the 
overall disposition time has improved. In all judicial fields, handling the backlog of cases has 
the highest priority, which has resulted in reduced backlogs.  

commercial 

backlogs 

cases 

and 

Accuracy of statistics and their publication should be improved. Data should serve as a basis 
for  management  decisions  to  improve  efficiency  and  further  reduce  backlog  in  a  structural 

27 

 
 
manner.  Delays  in  case  resolution,  especially  in  high-profile  corruption  cases,  remain  a 
major  issue.  Frequent  and  sometimes  unjustified  adjournments  and  deficient  case 
management  contribute  to  high  numbers  of  unproductive  hearings  and  retrials.  Audio  and 
video recording equipment in court rooms should be used consistently. The Court of Appeals 
often fails to use procedural tools to avoid sending cases back to lower courts. These delays 
add  to  backlogs  and  prolonged  pre-trial  detention.  Courts  and  prosecution  should  enhance 
their communication and improve the focus on serious crime cases. Gender-based violence 
cases need more attention and should be handled more efficiently. 

The  effective  and  consistent  use  of 
CMIS 
requires  clear  management 
responsibility  and  oversight  at  both 
court and prosecution levels. The lack 
of  full  interoperability  between  CMIS 
and  the  National  Centralised  Criminal 
Records System limits their combined 
effectiveness.  Several  digitalisation 
measures have been introduced, such 
as e-case registration, digital archiving 
and online services.  

Progress on structural legal reforms is 
underway.  The  Civil  Code  and  the 
Civil  Procedure  Code  are  still  pending,  and  while  the  Law  on  the  administrative  court  was 
adopted,  its  implementation  is  still  pending,  due  to  a  Constitutional  Court  review  on 
procedural grounds. 

The justice system in northern Kosovo still faces challenges after the resignation of Kosovo 
Serb officials in 2022. Limited representation of non-majority communities affects access to 
justice and public trust.  

Domestic handling of war crime cases 

but 

The  legal  framework  for 
handling  war  crimes  is 
the 
satisfactory, 
limited  capacity  of 
the 
prosecution 
service 
hampers  implementation 
of  the  framework.  The 
SPO continued to file war 
in 
crime 
absentia,  in  line  with  the 
relevant  provisions  of 
Criminal Procedure Code 
and 
international 
standards set by the VC. 
Kosovo  has  continued  to 
make  progress  in  investigating  and  prosecuting  general  sexual  violence  crimes,  with  an 
increasing number of reported cases.  

indictments 

The new war crime strategy is pending adoption. The number of prosecutors assigned to the 
SPO’s  war  crimes  department  has  increased,  but  the  department  struggles  to  process  the 
significant case backlog, and concerns persist regarding the quality of indictments. De facto 
non-existent mutual legal assistance cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia hampers war 
crime  processing,  and  in  general,  access  to  justice  for  those  whose  rights  depend  on  this 
assistance. The EUSR in Kosovo has been facilitating the process of cooperation between 
Kosovo and Serbia, but since August 2022 Serbia has not been using it. 

28 

 
 
fate  of  missing 
The  unresolved 
persons remains a challenge, with up 
to  1 590  missing  persons.  From  April 
2024  till  the  end  of  the  reporting 
period, the fate of 26 missing persons 
has  been  disclosed.  The  Institute  for 
Crimes  Committed  during  the  War  in 
Kosovo  advanced  on 
recruitments 
improving  its  work  and  strengthening 
its  capacity.  Civil  society  is  actively 
engaged 
truth-seeking, 
reconciliation  and  memorialisation 
initiatives. 

in 

Regarding survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), in April 2025 the government 
announced  the  extension  of  the  deadline  for  submitting  applications  for  recognition  of  the 
status  of  victims  of  sexual  violence  for  two  years,  until  15  May  2027.  The  mandate  of  the 
for 
Government  Commission 
the 
and 
Recognition 
Verification  of  the  Status  of 
Survivors  of  Sexual  Violence 
was  extended  until  15  May 
2028. A total of 2 308 survivors 
have officially applied for status 
recognition,  with  1 840  of  them 
obtaining  this  and  351  being 
rejected.  During  the  reporting 
time  a 
period, 
the 
was 
survivor 
recognised  as  such  by  court 
and  received  a  dual  pension 
(one  based  on  their  survivor 

first 
CRSV 

for 

of 

status, in addition to the old-age pension). 

Fight against corruption 

Track record    

The  track  record  in  prosecution  and  adjudication  has  improved  for  high-level  cases,  in 
particular  regarding  the  number  of 
final judgements and final convictions, 
but  the  number  of  investigations  and 
in  non-high-level 
final  convictions 
cases  has  decreased.  For  high-level 
cases, 
final 
convictions tripled, whereas final court 
decisions more than doubled.  

indictments 

and 

In  2024, 
final  court 
there  were 
decisions in eight high-level corruption 
cases.  Problems  persist,  such  as 
excessive 
and 
continued  leniency  in  sentencing.  At 
the same time, courts are increasingly 
punishments, 
applying 

accessory 

durations 

trial 

which is an encouraging development. 

29 

 
 
Systematic  progress  is  needed  on  criminal  asset  seizure  and  confiscation.  The  Asset 
Recovery Office (ARO), established last year within the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor 
successfully handled a number of requests in its first year, resulting in the retrieval of assets 
abroad. The necessary human and financial resources should be allocated to ARO.  

In  2024,  the  Agency  for  the  Prevention  of  Corruption  (APC)  handled  a  number  of  cases 
under  preliminary  investigation  procedure  on  suspicion  of  corruption-related  offences, 
including 9 criminal reports and 34 suspected cases submitted to the prosecution.  

A total of 7 816 of the 7 906 officials 
(98.86%)  submitted  regular  annual 
declarations  of  assets  through  the 
electronic  platform,  whereas  90 
(1.14%)  declaring  subjects  did  not 
submit  on  time,  which  resulted  in 
fines  being  imposed.  In  total,  the 
APC 
of 
suspected conflict of interest.   

handled 

cases 

220 

the  APC  handled  48 
In  2024, 
whistleblowing 
23 
cases,  with 
referred to the competent authorities. 
In addition, 9 cases were closed after 
investigations 
administrative 
determined 
the  claims  were 
unsubstantiated  and  did  not  warrant 
further  inquiry.  The  remaining  16  reports  were  dismissed  as  they  did  not  meet  the  legal 
requirements under the relevant legislation. 

that 

Legal framework   

The  legal  framework  on  the  fight  against  corruption  is  in  place  and  is  adequate  regarding 
preventive  measures  and  satisfactory  regarding  law  enforcement  provisions.  However, 
implementation  remains  limited,  particularly  regarding  the  Law  on  extended  powers  on 
confiscation  of  assets.  Kosovo  is  not  a  party  to  the  main  international  anti-corruption 
conventions,  given  limitations related to  its  international  status.  Nevertheless,  its  legislation 
is generally aligned with international instruments, the EU acquis and European standards.  

The  Criminal  Code  appropriately  criminalises  corruption-related  offences.  While  several 
high-profile cases  are  under  investigation  and could  potentially  result  in indictments,  of the 
ongoing cases eight were finalised at the end of 2024, mostly resulting in lenient sentencing 
compared to the seriousness of the offence.  

Strategic documents  

The  strategic  framework  is  not  in  place  in  this  field.  This  undermines  the  definition  of 
objectives,  actors,  timeliness  and  concrete  indicators  to  address  corruption  in  the  public 
sector.  The  national  strategy  and  action  plan  against  corruption  for  2025-2028  have  not 
been adopted, despite commitment undertaken in the framework of the Reform Agenda. The 
strategy should align with EU best practices and standards. The KPC, the KJC and the SPO 
should continue to prioritise the handling of corruption cases in their annual plans.   

Institutional framework   

The institutional framework on the fight against corruption is in place, but it is not adequate 
in terms of preventive measures and needs to be improved in terms of law enforcement. The 
activities  of  APC’s  project  to  identify  areas  most  vulnerable  to  corruption  continued,  and  a 
corruption risk mapping exercise was carried out. Further efforts are needed to integrate the 
findings into institutions’ internal policies and to mitigate corruption risks. It remains essential 
to continue to strengthen the APC’s budget, staffing and expertise, to match the increase in 

30 

 
 
the  number  of  subjects  required to  declare their assets.  Integrity  plans  aimed  at  identifying 
and  proposing  mitigating  measures  against  corruption  were  still  not  adopted  by  some 
institutions.  

Kosovo’s  specialised  institutions  to  fight  corruption  are  functional,  but  challenges  remain. 
The  authorities  failed  to  adopt  the  necessary  sub-legal  act  outlining  the  organisational 
structure and cooperation mechanisms between the Special Investigation Unit of the Kosovo 
Police and the Special Prosecution Office. This reflects insufficient commitment to building a 
solid basis for the functioning and cooperation of institutions responsible for addressing high-
level corruption cases. Special court departments handling SPO cases also need to be more 
efficient.  

Fundamental rights  

General framework 

The  general  framework  for  fundamental  rights  is  in  place  but  the  implementation  and 
enforcement of fundamental rights should be improved. 

International  human 
instruments 

rights 

Cooperation with international 
rights  monitoring 
human 
bodies  is  satisfactory.  Even 
though  Kosovo  is  not  yet  a 
international 
member 
of 
the 
organisations, 
Constitution  incorporates  the 
main 
international  human 
rights  instruments.  However, 
the  incorporation  of  the  UN 
Convention  on  the  Rights  of 
Persons  with  Disabilities  is 
pending. Kosovo’s application 
for  Council  of  Europe  (CoE) 
membership 
remains 
pending. 

Promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights 

The  legal  and  institutional  framework  for  the  promotion,  protection  and  enforcement  of 
human  rights  is  in  place  and  is  adequate.  Although  the  Office  of  Good Governance  of  the 
Office  of  Prime  Minister  (OGG/OPM)  and  other  executive  bodies  enjoy  good  cooperation 
with  the  Ombudsperson  Institution  (OI),  there  is  room  for  improvement  regarding 
implementation of the OI recommendations. Cooperation between the OI and the Assembly 
continues  to  show  shortcomings,  and  the  Assembly  did  not  show  any  improvement  in  its 
oversight role. The Assembly and its relevant Committees should intensify cooperation with 
the OI and timely review its annual reports.  

While  the  increased  human  and  financial  resources  have  improved  the  OI’s  institutional 
capacities to implement its mandate, the human resources of the OGG/OPM remain limited. 
The OI continued to play a key role in promoting, protecting and enforcing human rights; it is 
essential  to  safeguard  its  independence  in  line  with  the  Paris  and  Venice  Principles.  The 
OI’s  2024  annual  report  showed  a  slight 
its 
recommendations,  but  the  rate  remains  low,  particularly  regarding  equality  and  non-
discrimination.  For  the  period  January–September  2025,  the  overall  implementation  rate  is 
lower,  and  in  case  of  equality  and  non-discrimination,  all  recommendations  are  pending 
implementation.  

implementation  of 

increase 

the 

in 

31 

 
 
The  human  rights  mechanisms  within  the  executive  and  legislative  bodies  should  intensify 
cooperation with civil society, and the capacities of human rights related institutions need to 
be improved. 

Prevention of torture and ill-treatment  

Kosovo  provides  adequate  legal 
guarantees  on  the  prevention  of 
ill-treatment,  but 
torture  and 
to 
further  steps  are  required 
complaints  are 
ensure 
effectively 
and 
in  practice.  The 
implemented 
demonstrate 
authorities 
commitment  to  prevent  torture 
and  ill-treatment.  The  National 
Preventive  Mechanism 
(NPM) 
operates  under  the  auspices  of 
the OI. There were no restrictions 
regarding NPM’s access to places of detention during the reporting period. In 2024, the OI 
received 95 complaints against the Kosovo Police, of which 19 were deemed admissible for 
further investigation, while six cases are being investigated ex officio.  

investigated 

that 

Moreover,  the  OI  received  47  complaints  related  to  correctional  and  detention  centres, 
resulting  in  21  cases  for  investigation.  No  instances  of  ill  treatment  of  prisoners  were 
identified. Additionally, the OI received several requests for assistance from citizens whose 
family  members  were  arrested  and  incarcerated  in  Serbia.  The  OI  collaborated  with 
Kosovo's Liaison Office in Serbia, which conducted visits to prisons and provided information 
about the conditions there for the detained individuals.  

Until  September  2025,  the  NPM  conducted  60  unannounced visits  and  issued reports  with 
recommendations.  The  findings  indicate  the  need  to  enhance  the  conditions  within  prisons 
and detention centres, and express concerns about the application of the rights of persons 
with mental illness in justice and social systems.  

Execution of criminal sanctions  

of 

The  system  for  execution  of  criminal  sanctions  (including  probation)  is  largely  adequate. 
Legislation broadly aligns with the EU acquis and the prison system largely adheres to the 
UN and the Council of Europe Standard Minimum Rules. However, additional measures are 
required  to  safeguard  the  rights  of 
prisoners,  particularly  women,  girls, 
members 
non-majority 
communities and persons with mental 
health 
issues.  The  Directorate  of 
Health Services in Prisons developed 
several 
Operating 
Standard 
conducted 
and 
Procedures 
workshops  on  the  implementation  of 
recommendations 
the  CoE 
Committee 
the  Prevention  of 
Torture. 

from 

for 

Whereas  the  KPC  annual  report  did  not  refer  to  suspended  sentences,  in  2024  it  reported 
570 such cases. Although there was a slight decrease in educational measures for juveniles, 
the use of diversion measures increased significantly. 

32 

 
 
general 

conditions 

in 
The 
detention 
relatively 
are 
satisfactory  in  most  institutions. 
The  overall  prison  occupancy 
rate  has  slightly  decreased,  and 
is 
the  Correctional  Service 
the 
to  reduce 
making  efforts 
in 
detainees 
number 
of 
to 
centres, 
overpopulated 
address  space  and  hygiene 
concerns.  Health  services  are 
line  with  national 
offered, 
legislation  and  international  standards.  A  variety  of  vocational  training  programmes  are 
being  implemented,  and  secondary  and  tertiary  education  opportunities  are  available, 
though  participation  by 
remains low. 

inmates 

in 

Protection of personal data  

Data 

The legal framework for the protection 
of personal data is mostly aligned with 
Protection 
the  General 
Regulation  (GDPR)  and  a  working 
group  has  been  established 
to 
advance alignment with the EU’s Law 
Enforcement  Directive.  The  Agency 
for  Information  and  Privacy  improved 
its 
by 
launching  a  digital  platform  to  serve 
as  a  supervisory  mechanism,  and  continued  to  process  complaints  in  an  independent  and 
efficient manner. Nevertheless, its capacities still need to be strengthened.  

performance, 

including 

The  Agency  attained  full  membership  into  two  important  information  and  data  protection 
European  bodies  and  continued  to  be  represented  in  relevant  international  forums.  The 
financial and human resources of the Agency should be strengthened, to ensure its effective 
functioning.  The  recommendations  from  the  2022  peer  review  on  independent  oversight 
bodies have been addressed. 

Freedom of religion or belief 

Kosovo provides adequate legal guarantees on freedom of religion or belief. Kosovo still did 
not  amend  the  Law  on  freedom  of  religion  to  allow  religious  communities  to  obtain  legal 
personality or status. (See more under Cultural rights.) 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------- 

Freedom of expression  

Intimidation of journalists 

During  the  reporting  period,  70  cases  of  physical  and  verbal  attacks  or  threats  against 
journalists  were  reported,  including  obstruction  of  journalists’  and  media  workers’  work, 
threats,  and  harsh  language  towards  journalists.  During  the  same  period,  there  was  one 
strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) case.  During the electoral campaign, 
senior-ranking  Kosovo  officials,  including  the  Prime  Minister,  used  offensive  language 
against the media. 

Legislative environment  

33 

 
 
Kosovo’s media-related legislation needs to align with the new EU acquis and other relevant 
international  standards,  in  particular  the  European  Media  Freedom  Act  and  the  EU  anti-
SLAPP  Directive.  The  adoption  of  the  Law  on  Radio  Television  of  Kosovo  (RTK)  and  the 
Law  on  the  protection  of  journalistic  sources remain  pending.  The  law  on  civil  defamation, 
adopted  in  2008,  still  needs  to  be  aligned  with  ECtHR  case  law  regarding  civil  defamation 
law standards.  

The  Law  on  the  Independent  Media  Commission  (IMC)  was annulled  by  the  Constitutional 
Court,  as the  provisions  on  the  appointment  and  dismissal  of IMC members  were  deemed 
unconstitutional, threatening the IMC’s independence.  

It is essential to fully align the Law with the EU and international standards. The amendment 
to the IMC's Rules of Procedure established conditions for the replacement of the Chair prior 
to  the  conclusion  of  the  previous  Chair’s  mandate.  Journalists  face  regular  delays  or 
obstructions  when  they  request  access to  public  documents.  Serbian-language media face 
challenges in accessing information in Serbian, due to the failure to properly implement the 
Law on languages. 

Implementation of legislation/ institutions 

The functionality of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) continues to be a concern. In 
January  2025,  the  IMC  lost  the  necessary  quorum,  and  by  May,  the  number  of  members 
decreased  to  just  two,  hindering  its  decision-making  ability,  including  during  the  electoral 
campaign.  The  IMC  Appeals  Board remains without  a quorum  since  November  2023.  This 
situation calls for the newly established Assembly to address the issue. 

Public service broadcaster  

There was no progress in finding a long-term, sustainable and independent financing model 
for  the  public  service  broadcaster  RTK,  which  continues  to  face  considerable  budget, 
property  and  human  resources  constraints,  in  addition  to  internal  disputes  and  leadership 
instability.  The  General  Director  position,  vacant  since  September  2024,  remains  unfilled, 
while the RTK Board has lacked a quorum since December 2024, preventing it from holding 
meetings or making decisions. Since then, the public broadcaster remains dysfunctional and 
not able to fulfil its role effectively. 

In January 2025, the international community and Kosovo’s institutions received a letter from 
the Director of RTK 2 raising concerns about the deterioration of the TV channel, mainly due 
to  the  lack  of  budgetary  allocations  and  RTK  Board’s  lack  of  quorum,  both  pending  the 
formation  of  the  Assembly.  These  concerns  extend  to  other  parts  of  the  RTK’s  system 
currently  undergoing  restructuring.  The  government’s  approval  of  a  loan  to  RTK  offers 
temporary relief. Yet, the political gridlock paralysing the Assembly and lack of legal reforms 
threaten RTK’s financial independence and operational viability. Without legislative action to 
secure stable funding, the broadcaster remains vulnerable to political pressure and financial 
uncertainty. 

Regarding  the  budget  constraints,  75%  of  RTK’s  total  budget  is  allocated  to  salaries.  The 
building  currently  housing  RTK  is  in  very  poor  condition,  and  it  is  not  owned  by  the  public 
broadcaster.  Several  staff  members  have  either  retired  or  taken  unpaid  leave.  This  is 
particularly  evident 
technical  positions  and  departments  serving  non-majority 
communities.  

in 

Economic factors  

The  media  sector continues  to  suffer from  a lack  of  transparency  around  media  ownership 
and financing. The media registry covers only licensed radio and TV outlets, while data on 
final  beneficiaries  and  media  market  shares  is  not  available.  Combined  with  a  lack  of 
financial  sustainability,  this  makes  the  sector  either  dependant  on  foreign  donors  or 
vulnerable to political influence and financial pressure.  

34 

 
 
Independent  media,  particularly  non-majority  media,  still  lacks  sufficient  funding,  due  to 
withdrawal  of  some  donor  funds.  Also,  media  literacy  programmes  and  fact-checking 
initiatives were impacted. 

Internet  

There is no restrictive legislation on the functioning of the online media nor on the freedom 
of  expression  online.  Nonetheless,  there  is  a  need  to  formulate  policies  and  establish 
mechanisms  aimed  at  preventing  and  safeguarding  against  all  manifestations  of 
cyberviolence, including gender-based cyberviolence and child abuse in line with European 
standards.  

Professional organisations and working conditions 

The  Press  Council  elected  a  new  chairperson  and  amended  its  statute  to  increase  its 
effectiveness.  The  public  broadcaster  remains  the  only  media  that  has  a  trade  union. 
Working  conditions  for  journalists  remain  poor,  often  including  low  salaries,  short-term 
contracts and uncertain legal status. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------- 

Freedom of assembly and association  

Kosovo provides  adequate  legal  guarantees  for freedom  of  assembly  and association,  and 
regulation  of  assemblies  is  adequate.  The  timeframes  for  processing  registration requests, 
public benefit status applications and financial reporting for NGOs that were extended from 
30  to  45  days,  require  an  assessment  on  the  impact  these  changes  may  have  on  the 
operational efficiency of NGOs. 

Property rights 

The  legal  and  institutional  framework  for  enforcing  property  rights  is  in  place;  however, the 
executive  and  judicial  authorities  need  to  improve  their  implementation.  The  government 
continued  affirmative  measures  to  promote  the  registration  of  joint  property  ownership  by 
both  spouses  in  the  property  rights  registry  and  extended  for  three  years  the  sublegal  act 
exempting spouses from paying a fee for joint property registration.  

Still,  the  ownership  of  property  by  women  slightly  increased  during  2024,  to  20.02% 
compared  to  19.82%  of  properties  during  2023.  Delays  in  issuing  sublegal  acts  emerging 
from  the  Law  on  public  property  and  its  conflicting  provisions  with  other  applicable  laws, 
prevented businesses operating with public property from signing new contracts or renewing 
those that had expired.  

Following  the  amendment  of  the  Law  of  Kosovo  Property  Comparison  and  Verification 
Agency, the Agency started to implement its new mandate on the resolution of uncontested 
informal property transaction cases. By the end of April 2025, it had received 872 requests 
to formalise uncontested property rights. 

No  action  was  undertaken  to  implement  the  Final  Decision  from  30  May  2024  on  the 
expropriation  of  over  100  parcels  of  land  in  two  northern  municipalities.  The  handling  of 
expropriations  and  other  property  cases  in  northern  Kosovo  raises  concerns  over  the 
compliance  of  Kosovo  authorities  with  the  legal  requirements  and  with  human  rights,  i.e. 
rights  to  property  and  rights  of  non-majority  communities.  It  is  essential  that  competent 
authorities  carry  out  expropriation  or  any  other  appropriation  of  private  property  in 
accordance with the law, the public interest and purpose, and that such action does not have 
any discriminatory intention. 

Non-discrimination 

The legal and institutional framework on non-discrimination, hate crime and hate speech is 
broadly  in  line  with  the  EU  acquis.  The  initiative  to  amend  the  Law  on  protection  from 

35 

 
 
discrimination,  to  incorporate  the  most  recent  standards,  is  a  positive  step.  Discrimination 
largely affects rights associated with employment, education, access to social services and 
healthcare, as well as the right to use an official language.  

Most complaints received by the Ombudsperson Institution (OI) concerned issues related to 
disability, age, and ethnicity. In December 2024, the OI released the first Annual Report on 
the implementation of the Law on protection from discrimination. It emphasised challenges in 
monitoring  the  enforcement  of  the  law  due  to  the  absence  of  institutional  data  on  reported 
cases. The highest number of complaints that the OI received in 2024 relate to rights to legal 
remedies and a fair trial.  

The use of hateful statements in public discourse and social media is concerning, especially 
among  public  figures  and  members  of  prominent  institutions.  Negative  sentiments  directed 
towards  women  engaged  in  public  affairs  are  particularly  pronounced.  The  election 
campaign observed some negative and inflammatory language and harsh verbal attacks at 
public events and online. 

Gender equality  

The  legal  and  institutional  framework  on  gender  equality  and  combating  gender-based 
violence  is  largely  in  place,  but  implementation  and  enforcement  is  insufficient.  Women 
continue to face multiple forms of discrimination.  

Kosovo  does  not  have  a  programme  for  gender  equality  (following  the  expiration  of  the 
previous one in 2024), nor a gender equality index, but it released its gender profile in 2024, 
seven years after the expiration of the previous one. After more than a year, the government 
appointed  the  new  head  of  the  Agency  for  Gender  Equality,  with  a  four-year  mandate. 
However,  the  prolonged  interim  period  caused  delays  in  drafting,  implementing,  and 
evaluating laws and policies. At the end of 2024, the Agency for Gender Equality adopted a 
new internal organisation, which was approved in March 2025. 

is 

documents 

indicators  or 

efforts, 
in 

gender 
Despite 
laws  and 
mainstreaming 
policy 
not 
consistent,  with  no  measurable 
sex-
gender 
data  across 
disaggregated 
sectors. 
from 
minorities  –  especially  Roma2, 
Egyptian 
an 
Ashkali 
to 
communities  –  continue 
suffer  multiple 
of 
forms 
discrimination.  Women’s  rights 
organisations continued to play 
a key role in advancing gender 

  Women 

equality and provide legal and psychological services to women victims of violence. 

Kosovo does not have a valid and standalone National Action Plan for Women, Peace and 
Security (WPS), however, the President’s work on WPS is continuing, highlighting Kosovo's 
commitment to the agenda. 

Gender-based  violence 
remains 
frequent,  with  domestic  violence 
continuing  to  be  its  most  prominent 
form.  During  the  reporting  period, 

2 In line with the terminology of European institutions the umbrella term ‘Roma’ is used here to refer to a number 
of different groups, without denying the specificities of these groups. 

36 

 
 
 
three  cases  of  femicides  caused  public  indignation.  The  Ministry  of  Justice/National 
Coordinator made efforts to raise awareness about violence against women, and to address 
institutional and legal shortcomings: in 2024, the government approved some of the by-laws 
based on the framework law on gender-based violence.  

However, the current system remains insufficient to effectively prevent and combat gender-
based violence – in particular as concerns domestic violence  – protect victims and support 
the  reintegration  of  perpetrators.  Deeply  ingrained  patriarchal  attitudes  continue  to 
perpetuate gender stereotypes and hinder progress towards gender equality. The integrated 
database recording cases of domestic violence is now fully functional, with nine institutions 
obliged  to  provide  data  disaggregated  by  sex,  age  and  ethnicity.  In  2025,  the  government 
increased  the  funds  allocated  to  specialised  support  services  –  including  shelters  –  for 
victims  of  gender-based  violence  (including  domestic  violence)  and  trafficking  in  human 
beings, to overall improve availability.  

Rights of the child  

The legal and institutional framework is in place, but implementation and enforcement need 
to be improved. All the sub-legal acts deriving from the Law on child protection, aligned with 
the UNCRC and EU acquis, have been approved, but Kosovo is yet to fully implement the 
Law, with an integrated child protection system lacking. Implementation efforts in children’s 
rights  protection  should  also  be  in  line  with  the  EU  acquis  and  draw  guidance  from  key 
European  Commission  recommendations,  in  particular  as  concerns  integrated  child 
protection systems. 

Kosovo  still  needs  to  establish  a  child  helpline,  where  children  and  families  in  crisis  can 
report  abuse  or  seek  immediate  support.  Regarding  rights  of  the  child,  systemic 
inefficiencies  and  a  lack  of  coordination  among  various  stakeholders  often  result  in 
duplicated efforts, wasted resources and a lack of comprehensive strategies. The advances 
made  in  the  availability  of  data  on  children  should  be  utilised  for  policy  development. 
Authorities  should  prioritise  the  development  of  specialised  expertise  within  the  justice, 
social,  and  medical  sectors  to  effectively  implement  legal  safeguards  and  measures 
pertaining to child protection within the justice system. 

While  the  Kosovo  Justice  Academy’s  2025  Training  Programme  includes  activities  on 
juvenile  justice,  covering  both  criminal  and  civil  matters,  systemic  improvements  remain 
necessary, particularly on the use of diversion measures for juveniles.  

Persons with disabilities  

The legal and institutional framework on the rights of persons with disabilities is incomplete, 
and implementation is insufficient. However,  Kosovo approved the strategy for the rights of 
persons  with  disabilities  2025-2030,  alongside  the  action  plan  for  2025-2027.  Effort  will  be 
needed to ensure effective implementation. Persons with disabilities continue to experience 
discrimination,  and  accessibility  remains 
in  healthcare,  education,  physical 
infrastructure and transport. Thus, better alignment with the EU acquis is needed, including 
as  regards  the  European  Accessibility  Act.  The  enactment  of  the  Law  on  the  rights, 
evaluation, treatment, and status recognition of persons with disabilities and the associated 
services is overdue.  

limited 

LGBTIQ persons 

The  legal  protection  of  the  rights  of  LGBTIQ  persons  is  insufficient  and  LGBTIQ  persons 
face high levels of discrimination. Kosovo has still not adopted a strategy or action plan on 
the rights of LGBTIQ persons, nor has it yet conducted awareness-raising campaigns. To fill 
in  the  gap  of  availability  of  services  for  LGBTIQ  persons,  civil  society  provides  health, 
psychosocial and legal services.  

In 2025, a court issued a breakthrough sentence on a hate crime case against an LGBTIQ 
person,  in  which  the  perpetrators  were  sentenced  to  prison.  A  negative  development  in 

37 

 
 
public  discourse  was  the  formation  of  an  electoral  coalition  openly  opposing  the  rights  of 
LGBTIQ  persons.  The  Pride  Week  and  the  Pride  Parade  took  place  in  Pristina  without 
incidents.  

The Civil Code and the Law on civil status are pending adoption, affecting also legal gender 
recognition, and same-sex unions continue to not be recognised, despite announced plans 
to do so in 2024. There was no progress in setting up a planned shelter for LGBTIQ victims 
of family violence.  

Procedural rights and victims’ rights 

The legal framework on procedural rights is broadly aligned with the EU acquis, but effective 
implementation  needs  to  be  improved  and  the  rights  of  victims  of  crime  need  to  be 
strengthened.  During  2024,  the  number  of  requests  for  compensation  was  192,  with  148 
from  women  and 44  from  men. Out  of the  total  requests,  129 were  approved,  43  rejected, 
and 20 transferred for 2025. Three new municipal offices for protecting victims of crime were 
opened  during  the  reporting  period.  A  mobile  office  offers  free  legal  aid  to  four  other 
municipalities.   

The  main  concerns  include,  inter  alia,  prolonged  court  proceedings,  lack  of  professional 
interpreters/translators and low-quality standards of interpretation, excessive use of pre-trial 
detention  and  insufficient  consideration  of  other  measures  for  securing  the  presence  of 
defendants. Although free legal aid was extended to more beneficiaries in 2022, the financial 
challenges  remain.  The  effective  enjoyment  of  procedural  safeguards,  in  particular  for 
vulnerable  suspects  or  accused  persons,  such  as  persons  with  mental  health  conditions, 
needs  to  be  improved.  The  right  to  reparations  should  not  be  conditioned  with  the  other 
pension rights based on age or contribution. The government should address the issue and 
not overload the courts. 

Protection of minorities 

The legal and institutional framework for the protection of persons belonging to non-majority 
communities  is  mostly  in  place  and  largely  aligned  with  the  acquis,  but  implementation  is 
lagging.  While  the  government  made  decisions  that  temporarily  improved  the  protection  of 
some  of  their  rights,  it  needs  to  introduce  sustainable  long-term  solutions  to  address  the 
challenges,  in  close  coordination  with  the  communities.  Some  other  government  decisions 
and actions further restricted these groups’ access to services and negatively affected their 
rights  and  living  conditions.  The  representation  of  non-majority  communities  in  public 
institutions remains insufficient.  

The government extended the mandate of the Commission for the Verification of Diplomas, 
issued  by  the  Serbia-supported  University  in  Mitrovica  North,  beyond  25  August,  until  15 
October  2025.  In  2024,  the  Commission  verified  320  diplomas  and  allowed  for  online 
submission, simplifying the process. The verification of diplomas issued by Serbia-supported 
high schools and obtained in Kosovo is pending, which precludes access of graduates with 
these  diplomas  to  employment.  Kosovo  Serb,  Kosovo  Bosniak  and  Kosovo  Turkish 
communities face challenges in accessing manuals in their respective languages.    

Kosovo  made  progress  in  regulating  the  Kosovo  Serbs’  civil  status  records  on  birth,  death 
and marriage. However, these records could only be registered between February and April 
2025,  and  a  long-term  solution  is  lacking.  Kosovo  does  not  recognise  passports  issued  by 
the  Serbia  Coordination  Centre;  hence,  displaced  persons  who  only  have  these  passports 
cannot apply for temporary Kosovo residence ID cards, nor consequently register their civil 
status. 

In  September  2024,  the  Ministry  of  Finance  and  Labour  (MFLT)  launched  a  verification 
process  for  children  and  mother’s  allowances,  introduced  as  part  of  economic  recovery 
measures,  to  prevent  abuse  of  assistance  from  families  that  do  not  reside  in  Kosovo.  The 
process affected also a number of beneficiaries from non-majority communities, particularly 

38 

 
 
those  that  do  not  possess  Kosovo-issued  documents.  In  May  2025,  the  Ombudsperson 
Institution  (OI)  found  the  process  discriminatory  and 
legal  basis, 
recommending transparency and retroactive payments to eligible families, but MFLT denied 
discrimination.  A  grace  period  for  late  registration  was  extended  until  31  August  after  an 
intervention from the Office of the President. 

lacking  a  clear 

The  government  approved  the  programme  for  the  Office  for  Community  Affairs,  which 
allowed  for  financial  support  to  civil  society  and  the  media  representing  non-majority 
communities.  The  position  of  the  Director  of  the  Office  for  Community  Affairs  has  been 
vacant since February 2021. Institutional compliance with obligations deriving from the Law 
on  the  use  of  languages  remains  insufficient.  Study  programmes  in  Bosnian,  Turkish  and 
Serbian  offered  under  public  higher  education  continue  to  face  challenges  in  ensuring  re-
accreditation due to a lack of professors.  

The  number  of  qualified  translators  and  interpreters  in  government  and  municipal-level 
institutions  remains  inadequate  to  meet  the  obligations  deriving  from  legislation.  Courts 
struggle to comply with the legal requirement to publish judgments in both official languages 
due  to  the  lack  of  qualified  Serbian  translators,  and  the  availability  and  quality  of 
interpretation in court proceedings hinders access to justice.  

The media in non-majority community language continue to struggle to operate, partly due to 
staffing shortages and lack of funding. The mandate of the Language Commissioner expired 
in January 2025, and the position remains vacant; recruitment has not progressed due to the 
absence of a new government. 

In the north of Kosovo, relations between the government and the Kosovo Serb community 
deteriorated,  as  Kosovo  authorities  closed  dozens  of  Serbia-supported  institutions  in  an 
uncoordinated  manner  and  without  taking  into  account  the  needs  of  the  population 
concerned. Meanwhile, Kosovo institutions were only partially functional, with mostly Kosovo 
Albanian  staff.  This  further  limited  access  for  Kosovo  Serbs  and  other  non-majority 
communities to services, constraining their living conditions.  

The  ban  on  imports  of  Serbian  origin  goods  affected  Kosovo  Serb-owned  businesses. 
Participation by Kosovo Serbs and their trust in Kosovo institutions remained low. Reported 
security incidents affecting non-majority communities decreased but remain concerning. 

Policing  in  northern  Kosovo  remains  a  point  of  friction.  Incidents  and  altercations  between 
Kosovo Albanian police officers deployed to the north and local Kosovo Serb residents have 
elevated  tensions  and  triggered  spontaneous  protests.  Residents  and  civil  society  have 
raised concern over cases of excessive use of force and misconduct by the Kosovo Police. 
Reports of alleged misuse of authority and excessive use of force by Kosovo Police officers 
in  the  north  were  investigated,  and  police  took  some  measures  to  address  its  officers’ 
display  of  unauthorised  insignia  and  the  allegations  of  sexual  harassment  of  women  in 
Mitrovica North. 

Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians  

The  legal  and  institutional  framework  is  largely  in  place,  yet  discrimination  persists.  The 
judicial  system  officially  licensed  a  Roma  language  translator,  enabling  people  in  this 
community  to  request  that  their  legal  proceedings  be  conducted  in  Romani.  To  address 
early,  child  and  forced  marriages  and  discrimination  against  persons  belonging  to  Roma, 
Ashkali  and  Egyptian  communities,  the  government  established  inter-institutional  working 
groups with the aim of discussing challenges, drawing on cases documented by the national 
platform for protection from discrimination.  

During  June  2022-December  2024,  52  cases  of  discrimination  against  Roma,  Ashkali  and 
Egyptian  individuals  were  reported,  with  two  cases  resulting  in  court  rulings.  Despite 
improvements  to  the  platform,  leading  to  increased  engagement  in  2024,  under-reporting 
remains a concern, with over half of cases submitted anonymously due to fear or mistrust. In 

39 

 
 
June, a national survey on early marriage among Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities 
was  launched  by  the  government.  The  survey  emphasises  the  need  for  stronger  legal 
enforcement, aligned legislation, support services and educational initiatives to combat early 
marriages.  

To  enhance  the  implementation  of  the  strategy  for  the  rights  of  Roma  and  Ashkali 
communities, 
local  and  central  authorities  should  cooperate  more  closely.  These 
communities  face  specific  challenges:  limited  access  to  quality  education,  high  school 
dropout  rates,  early/child/forced  marriage,  insufficient  data  collection  and  barriers  to 
employment and public representation.  

Pre-school  attendance  among  Roma,  Ashkali  and  Egyptian  children  remains  critically  low 
and  there  is  a  need  to  financially  support  the  work  of  NGO-run  learning  centres.  In  April 
2025,  the  outgoing  government  approved  the  2025–2026  action  plan  for  the  strategy, 
outlining  targeted  measures  in  education,  health,  employment,  welfare,  housing  and  anti-
discrimination,  in  line  with  the  Poznan  Commitments.  As  of  June  2025,  nine  municipalities 
have  formally  adopted  local  action  plans.  Despite  existing  obligations,  reporting  on  the 
implementation of those plans remains weak. 

Cultural rights  

The  Implementation  and  Monitoring  Council,  which  facilitates  the  resolution  of  disputes  on 
the implementation of the Law on Special Protective Zones (SPZ) and is co-chaired by the 
EUSR Kosovo, convened a regular meeting after a break of over four years. The Assembly 
elected  seven  board  members  to  the  Kosovo  Council  for  Cultural  Heritage,  reflecting  a 
representative  balance  between  the  communities,  for  a  three-year  mandate,  following  the 
expiry of the board members' mandate in July 2024.  

A  restoration  of  a  historic  house  located  in  the  SPZ  of  Velika  Hoča/Hoçë  e  Madhe  village 
was completed. The Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) visited Kosovo for the 
Orthodox  Easter  with no  security  incidents.  However, the fragile trust-building  process  was 
affected  by  an  illegal  construction  in  the  SPZ  of  the  13th  century  Heritage  of  St.  Peter  in 
Korisa  near  Prizren.  This  had  been  pursued  without  either  consent  of  the  SOC  or  the 
involvement of the Implementation and Monitoring Council, and was accompanied by SOC 
concerns regarding media and politicians’ statements against SOC.   

2.2.2 Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security 

The EU has common rules for border and migration management, visa policy, and asylum. 
Schengen  cooperation  entails  the  lifting  of  border  controls  inside  the  EU.  There  is  also 
cooperation  in  the  fight  against  serious  and  organised  crime  and  terrorism,  and  judicial, 
police  and  customs  cooperation,  all  with  the  support  of  the  EU  Justice  and  Home  Affairs 
agencies. 

Fight against serious and organised crime  

The legal framework on serious and organised crime is partially aligned with the EU acquis. 
The capacity to fight against serious and organised crime needs to be improved.  

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks  

In  August  2025,  the  Kosovo  Police  adopted  the  new  Serious  and Organised  Crime  Threat 
Assessment  (SOCTA),  based  on  the  European  Union  Agency  for  Law  Enforcement 
Cooperation  (Europol)  methodology.  The  government  needs  to  adopt  the  national  strategy 
against  organized  crime  and  its  action  plan,  in  line  with  the  EU  standards.  The  legal 
framework  on  trafficking  in  human  beings,  migrant  smuggling,  cybercrime,  and  asset 
recovery is partially aligned with the EU acquis.  

Kosovo  unilaterally  implements  the  CoE  Budapest  Convention  on  cybercrime  and  its 
additional  protocol.  Kosovo  signed  a  trilateral  task  force  agreement  with  Albania  and  the 

40 

 
 
 
United  Kingdom  to  enhance  joint  efforts  in  law  enforcement  and  intelligence  sharing.  In 
March  2025,  entered  into  force  the  Regulation on  the  establishment  and  functioning  of  the 
Joint  Investigation  Team,  which  acts  as  an  inter-institutional  investigation  mechanism 
established under the authority of the Chief Prosecutor of the Special Prosecution.  

The  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs  (MIA)  should  adopt  implementing  legislation  governing  the 
work  procedure  and  the  manner  of  operation  and  cooperation  between  the  Special 
Investigations  Unit  and  the  Special  Prosecution  Office.  While  the  legal  framework  on 
confiscation  is  comprehensive,  challenges  persist  in  its  effective  implementation.  Kosovo 
authorities need to establish the confiscation fund to strengthen the efficiency of the criminal 
confiscation regime.  

In  December  2024,  without  public  consultation  and  in  an  accelerated  procedure,  the 
Assembly  adopted  a  revised  version  of  the  Law  on  state  bureau  for  verification  and 
confiscation  of  assets.  The  opposition  referred  it  to  the  Constitutional  Court  for  review  for 
alleged  procedural  violations.  The  Asset  Recovery  Office  within  the  Office  of  the  Chief 
Prosecutor  started  handling  cases.  The  field  of  asset  recovery  must  be  comprehensively 
regulated. 

The  Law  on  prevention  of  money  laundering  and  combating  the  financing  of  terrorism, 
adopted  in  December  2024,  is  pending  review  by  the  Constitutional  Court  on  procedural 
grounds.  

In  October  2024,  the  Financial  Investigation  Unit  launched  the  Joint  Money  Laundering 
Intelligence Network of Kosovo, a collaboration tool between law enforcement, public sector 
bodies and financial institutions. Its aim is to enhance Kosovo’s efforts to detect and prevent 
money-laundering activities, thus strengthening financial security. (For prevention of money 
loundering, pls see Chater 4 – Free movement of capital) 

The  Kosovo  Police  has  575  police  officers  per  100 000  inhabitants  (compared  with  an  EU 
average  of  341),  a  significant  increase  on  the  previous  year.  86.54%  of  officers  are  men, 
while  13.46%  are  women;  89.64%  are  Kosovo  Albanians,  while  10.36%  belong  to  other 
communities.  Efforts  to  recruit  Kosovo  Serb  and  other  non-majority  cadets  to  address  the 
2022  resignation  gap  in  Mitrovica  North  Regional  Police  Directorate  had  tangible  results, 
with ethnic representation of Kosovo Serbs reaching a total of 33.5% (155) and 25.9% (120) 
of other non-majority communities.  

The  recruitment  of  new  police  cadets,  including  from  non-majority  communities,  continued. 
The  composition  of  the  police  in  other  Kosovo  Serb  municipalities  reflects  municipalities’ 
ethnic composition. The Kosovo Police finalised its reorganisation (adopted in 2023), though 
the position of third deputy general director is still vacant. 

Kosovo updated the case  management return  protocol for  victims  of  trafficking in human 
beings and the operational regulations for the State Shelter for Rehabilitation. 

On  firearms  control,  Kosovo  should  update  the  Law  on  weapons  and  law  on  civil  use  of 
explosives.  Kosovo  successfully  implements  the  roadmap  for  a  sustainable  solution  to  the 
illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW). Kosovo 
has a high level of alignment with the rules of the UN Firearms Protocol and a well-equipped 
Firearms Focal Point. 

Implementation  and  enforcement 
capacity  

The  number  of  organised  crime 
indictments  increased  in  2024,  and 
the  number  of  new  investigations 
remained  almost  constant.  While 
there were no final convictions there 
were  11  first  instance  court  cases. 

41 

 
 
The  slow  pace  of  building  track  record  points  to  weaknesses  in  the  tackling  of  organised 
crime, the need for strategic and coordinated approach to the problem from  the police and 
judiciary, aimed at increasing the number of investigation, indictments and final convictions.  

standard 

conducts 

Kosovo  Police 
has 
good 
investigative 
operational  and 
capacity to fight organised crime. 
The  centralised  unit  for  financial 
investigations 
the 
financial 
integrated 
investigations in accordance with 
operating 
the 
financial 
procedures,  requiring 
investigations to be carried out in 
all cases of organised crime. The 
staffing  and  training  of  analysts 
in  the  upgraded  Department  of 
Intelligence  and  Analysis 
is 
nearly  complete.  The  amount  of 
collected intelligence significantly 
increased,  improving  prevention 
and response efforts.  

Kosovo Police established a Task Force to tackle loan sharking, a criminal activity identified 
across  Kosovo.  As  a  result,  several  groups  were  dismantled  and  significant  amounts  of 
material  assets  seized,  including  cash,  weapons  and  ammunition.  However,  progress  in 
combating  money-laundering  remains  limited,  with  only  two  cases  initiated  in  2024,  and 
Kosovo needs to make further efforts to strengthen capacity across the justice system. The 
prosecution  service  and  the  police  must  make  more  effort  to  jointly  identify,  map  and 
dismantle organised criminal groups and networks. 

International police cooperation including with Europol improved and the overall cooperation 
with  Europol  has  continued  to  develop  positively.  The  information  exchanged  via  SIENA 
doubled  compared  with  2023  and  is  six  times  higher  than  in  2022.  Kosovo  Police 
participated  in  12  Operational  Action  Plans  under  the  European  Multidisciplinary  Platform 
Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) and 72 operational actions (one of which as co-leader). 
Kosovo continued to participate in  CEPOL  trainings  and  exchange  programmes  as  well  as 
the  regional  cooperation  initiatives  for  the  Western  Balkans.  Kosovo  should  integrate  the 
knowledge and competencies gained at CEPOL’s trainings into the national law enforcement 
training system. Kosovo signed a Security Operation Agreement with Türkiye.  

Concerning  cybercrime,  challenges  persist  in  investigating  the  dark  net.  On  child  sexual 
abuse online and offline, the legal framework should be amended to fully align with Directive 
on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. 

The  reintegration  of  human  trafficking 
victims is a challenge, and the risk of re-
trafficking  remains  high,  in  particular  for 
children.  The  number  of  indictments  and 
identified victims in 2024 was significantly 
lower  than  in  previous  years  with  a most 
significant  decrease 
the  group  of 
children.  

in 

On  firearms  control,  Kosovo  remains 
through 
active 
international police cooperation.  In 2024, 
KP confiscated 1 746 firearms, compared 

tracing  weapons 

in 

42 

 
 
to 1 392 from 2023, and 33 250 rounds of ammunition in 2024, compared to 27 215 in 2023.  

The electronic monitoring system for people accused of domestic violence, envisaged in the 
2015  Law  on  electronic  surveillance,  was  introduced  in  December  2024.  It  is  an  important 
milestone  in  protecting  the  lives  and  dignity  of  the  victims  of  domestic  violence.  There  are 
eight protection orders under electronic monitoring.  

During  2024,  the  police  inspectorate  investigated  175  police  officers,  which  resulted  in  the 
arrest of 22 police officers, the suspension of 91 and criminal charges for 81. It is essential 
to preserve the operational independence of the police. 

Cooperation in the field of drugs 

The legal framework for cooperation in the field of drugs needs to be improved. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks  

The  Law  on  narcotic  drugs,  psychotropic  substances  and  precursors  needs  an  update  to 
align with the EU acquis. In February 2025, the government established the Commission for 
Narcotics.  In May,  the  Commission  updated  the  tables  annexed  to the  Law  to  align  it  with 
international narcotic control conventions. a national protocol for destruction of drugs needs 
to be adopted.  

Implementation  of  the  National  drug  strategy  and  its  action  plan,  adopted  last  year, 
continues to progress well. In November 2024, the MIA adopted a decision to establish an 
Early Warning System and allocated dedicated staff to it. The National Drugs Observatory, 
which became  operational  in 2024,  prepared  a report  about  Kosovo’s  drug  situation  in line 
with  EU  Drugs  Agency  (EUDA)  guidelines  and  protocols.  The  report  reveals  gaps  in  drug 
treatment due to the lack of functional health information system. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity  

formal  protocol 

During  2024,  the  seizures  picked  up 
across  all  types,  with  the  exception  of 
cannabis  plants.  Despite  the  absence 
of  a 
for  drug 
the  Kosovo  Police 
destruction, 
successfully destroyed large quantities 
of  narcotic  substances in March 2025, 
following  a  guideline  issued  by  the 
Office  of  the  Chief  Prosecutor.  The 
numbers  of  investigations,  indictments 
and  convictions  for  production  and 
trafficking  of  drugs  decreased  very 
to  decreased 
significantly,  pointing 
efficiency in the fight against drugs.  

recruited  and 

The  newly 
analysts  within  the  Department  for  Intelligence  and  Analysis  have  contributed  to  a  better 
understanding  of  the  local  drugs  market,  including  the  number  and  structure  of  criminal 
groups involved. However, analytical work on the drugs market needs to be improved.  

trained 

Overall,  international  and  regional  operational  cooperation  on  drugs  remains  good,  but 
cooperation  with  the  EUDA  should  be  further  strengthened.  Additionally,  inter-agency 
cooperation  should  be  further  improved.  The  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs  plays  a  key  role  in 
implementing  the  Action  Plan  of  the  State  Strategy  Against  Drugs  and  efforts  to  ensure  a 
comprehensive  and  effective  approach  to  combating  drug-related  issues  and  safeguarding 
public health and safety in Kosovo.  

43 

 
 
The  Ministry  of  Health finances  the 
methadone  maintenance  program, 
which  is  implemented  across  all 
regional  hospitals  and  correctional 
facilities,  and  by  the  NGO  sector. 
Advocacy  and  education  projects 
on  the  risks  associated  with  drug 
use 
implemented.  Harm 
reduction  programmes  continue  to 
be 
needle 
exchange  and  HIV  prevention  kits, 
as  well  as  voluntary  HIV  and  HCV 
testing  and  counselling  services, 
delivered  through  mobile  units  and 
its own centres. 

including 

offered, 

are 

Fight against terrorism, and prevention of radicalisation and violent extremism  

The  legal  framework  for  the  fight  against  terrorism  and  countering  violent  extremism  is 
partially aligned with the EU acquis. The fight against terrorism is broadly satisfactory, while 
the  countering  of  violent  extremism  needs  to  be  improved.  The  legal  framework  for  critical 
infrastructure protection and the resilience of critical entities is partially aligned  with the EU 
acquis.  Protection  of  critical  infrastructure  and  the  resilience  of  critical  entities  needs  to  be 
improved. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks  

Kosovo adopted the Law on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism 
aiming  to  align  the  national  legislation  with  EU  acquis,  but  it  is  under  Constitutional  Court 
review  on  procedural  grounds.  Kosovo  continues  to implement  its strategy  and action  plan 
against terrorism and violent extremism (2023-2028), which is in line with the EU’s counter-
terrorism strategy and the bilateral implementing arrangement with the EU for the joint action 
plan  on  counterterrorism  for  the  Western  Balkans.  Law  on  critical  infrastructure  protection 
aiming  to  align  the  national  legislation  with  EU  acquis  was  drafted  but  remains  to  be 
adopted. The drafting of terrorism situation and trend report is in progress. 

The Minister of Internal Affairs remains the National Coordinator for the Prevention of Violent 
Extremism  and  the  Fight  against  Terrorism,  but  given  the  nature  of  the  Minister’s  other 
tasks, the focus on interinstitutional coordination remains limited. There was no progress in 
setting  up  a  national  centre  for  countering  terrorism  and  countering  and  preventing  violent 
extremism and radicalisation.  

The  security  institutions  perform  bi-annual  joint  threat  assessments.  However,  Kosovo 
should proceed with adopting the amended the Law on critical infrastructure in line with EU 
acquis. 

A new community safety strategy and action plan (2025-2029) should be adopted.  

Implementation and enforcement capacity  

The  2023  Banjska/Banjskë  attack  was  followed  by  the  incident  in  the  Ibër-Lepenc/Ibar-
Lepenac canal in November 2024 and two hand grenade attacks against public buildings in 
April  2025.  The  threat  from  religious  extremism  continues  to  be  assessed  as  moderate. 
Judges  and  prosecutors  were  trained  on  different  forms  of  terrorism,  and  journalists  for 
online  radical  content.  Kosovo  needs  to  continue  its  work  to  implement  preventive, 
rehabilitation and reintegration measures.  

There  were  52  indictments  in  terrorism  related  offences  and  9  convictions.  Indictments 
against  45  suspects  in  Banjska/Banjskë  case  were  filed  in  September  2024.  The 
proceedings started against the 3 detained defendants in June 2025 as most suspects are 

44 

 
 
still at large. The Ibër-Lepenc/Ibar-Lepenac canal attack investigation is ongoing. 10 inmates 
are  serving  prison  sentences  for  terrorism-related  crimes.  The  Correctional  and  Probation 
Service’s work on disengagement and rehabilitation improved, but more effort in this regard 
is  still  needed,  also  in  preparation  of  further  releases  of  individuals  convicted  for  terrorism 
and radicalised inmates. 

Kosovo  took  a  leading  role  in  the  rehabilitation  and  reintegration  of  returnees  from  foreign 
conflicts, since it had the biggest number of departures. 32 men, 8 women and 37 children 
are  reported  to  be  still  in  Syria.  There  were  no  further  repatriations  of  individuals,  but  one 
suspected  foreign  terrorist  fighter  has  returned  voluntarily  and  is  in  detention.  The  local 
multidisciplinary referral mechanism is functioning in five municipalities.  

Hateful  rhetoric  and  disinformation  related  to  inter-ethnic  tensions,  provided  by  foreign 
actors,  increased,  in  particular  during  election  period.  The  authorities  should  develop 
effective  counter-narratives  and  strategic  communication  to  counter  disinformation  and 
address hateful rhetoric online.  

Judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters  

is 

alignment 

Judicial  cooperation  in  civil  and 
is  broadly 
criminal  matters 
satisfactory,  and 
legal 
the 
framework  is  partially  aligned 
with the EU acquis, to the extent 
that 
already 
possible.  Cooperation  between 
Kosovo  and  Eurojust  is  good. 
The  increased  number  of  new 
cases  involving  Kosovo  (14  for 
the period 1 May 2024 – 31 July 
2025),  and  the  high  number  of 
requests 
responses 
and 
exchanged  with  EU  Member 

States, demonstrate Kosovo`s commitment to combating transnational organised crime.  

The number of extraditions has increased. Three new bilateral treaties with Slovenia entered 
into force on extradition, MLA in 
criminal  matters  and  transfers 
In 
sentenced  persons. 
of 
January 
Kosovo 
2025, 
submitted  a  request  for  mutual 
legal  assistance 
to  Serbia, 
related  to  the  attack  on  the 
Ibër-Lepenc/Ibar-Lepenac 
canal in the north of Kosovo, to 
response  was 
which 
to 
received.  A 
to 
Kosovo’s  MLA 
Serbia 
the 
Banjska/Banjskë attacks sent in 
is  also  still 
October  2023 
pending.  Kosovo’s  lack  of  membership  in  international  law  enforcement  organisations 
continues  to  pose  a  challenge,  as  mutual  legal  assistance  and  cross-border  cooperation 
continue  to  be  based  on  bilateral  treaties  between  Kosovo  and  respective  EU  Member 
States. 

response 
request 
to 

related 

no 

Legal and irregular migration  

45 

 
 
The legal framework for management of legal and irregular migration is partially aligned with 
the EU acquis and its management is broadly satisfactory. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks 

Relevant  strategic  and  legal  documents  are  being  implemented  effectively.  The  current 
migration strategy is set to expire in 2025: a new comprehensive and cross-sectoral strategy 
should  be  adopted.  As  for  the  institutional  set-up,  the  Government  Authority  on  Migration 
(GAM)  remains  the  advisory  body  in  the  area  of  migration.  Within  GAM,  an  early  warning 
mechanism  for  monitoring  the  migration  trends  was  set  up  to  monitor  developments 
following the entry into force of the visa-free regime with the EU. The institutions continued 
to strengthen their ability to manage migration through budget allocation, training and better 
coordination. Opportunities for improvement remain in capacity development, data collection 
and analysis, as well as staff training and recruitment. 

Kosovo  revised  its  contingency  plan  in  cooperation  with  the  EU  Agency  for  Asylum,  the 
European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and other international bodies, using a 
holistic  approach.  The  revised  plan  further  aligns  the  migration  management  approach  in 
Kosovo  to  EU  standards  and  the  common  European  asylum  system.  This  plan  is  awaiting 
government’s approval.  

As there is no readmission agreement with the EU, cooperation on readmission with Kosovo 
continues  bilaterally.  The  25  readmission  agreements  with  EU  Member  States  and 
Schengen-associated  countries  are  implemented  satisfactorily.  In  2024,  Kosovo  signed  a 
readmission  agreement  with  Lithuania,  bringing  the  total  number  of  agreements  with  EU 
Member  States  to  23.  Kosovo finalised  negotiations  with  Latvia and  continues  negotiations 
with  Portugal,  Poland,  Ireland,  the  UK,  Pakistan,  Côte  d’Ivoire,  the  United  States,  Jordan, 
Egypt, Libya, Chad and Australia.  

Implementation and enforcement capacity  

In 2024, the number of new migrant arrivals increased by 54.3 % compared with 2023, from 
643  to  992  .  802  migrants  were  accommodated  in  the  temporary  reception  centre  for 
migrants  in Vranidoll/Vranidol,  a 74%  increase compared to 2023.  190  persons applied  for 
international  protection  and  were  accommodated  at  the  Asylum  Center  in  Magurë/Magura. 
Most migrants transit through mountain passes, entering from Albania and North Macedonia. 
There  are  two  reception  centres,  with  a  total  capacity  of  up  to  350  beds:  Magurë/Magura 
(100)  and  Vranidoll/Vranidol  (250).  Reception  capacities  in  Vranidoll/Vranidoll  will  increase 
to around 300 by the end of 2025, with the ongoing construction of the new facility. Due to 
changes  in  migration  routes,  cases  of  migrant  smuggling  through  Kosovo  have  drastically 
decreased in 2024 and first half of 2025.  

to 

Kosovo is invited to renew 
the 
its  engagement 
Global Alliance to Counter 
Migrant  Smuggling  at  the 
the  Global 
occasion  of 
second 
Alliance's 
conference  scheduled  to 
take place end of 2025.  

Even  though  Kosovo  is 
not  a  member  of  Interpol, 
Kosovo 
authorities 
regularly coordinate with it 
and 
in 
participate 
police 
international 
operations. Kosovo Police 
cooperates with Frontex based on a Working Agreement and Annual Operational Plan. Due 

46 

 
 
to  an  increase  of  controls  and  border  inspections  in  Kosovo,  the  number  of  third  country 
nationals  intercepted  decreased,  which  also  resulted  in  a  decreased  number  of  returns. 
Assisted voluntary return continued also with support of IOM. 

Kosovo  is  gradually  becoming  a  destination  for  labour  migrants.  This  trend  highlights  the 
need  for  stronger  policies  to  promote  humane,  regular,  orderly  migration,  including  fair 
international recruitment systems and transparency in private employment services.  

Migrant  workers  lack  reliable  information  on  their  rights  and  obligations  in  Kosovo.  Labour 
migration  of  Kosovo  citizens  to  EU  Member  States  frequently  occurs  outside  formal 
structures,  relying  on  social  networks.  Raising  awareness  about  preventing  irregular 
migration and encouraging regular migration pathways is necessary. 

Asylum 

The  legal framework  on asylum  is  largely  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  The management  of 
asylum is broadly satisfactory. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks 

Kosovo 

The 
authorities 
continued  to  cooperate  with 
the  EU  Agency  for  Asylum  to 
implement  a  bilateral  roadmap 
for 
The 
cooperation. 
administrative  capacity  of  the 
for 
Department 
MIA 
and 
Asylum 
Citizenship, 
Migration  and  quality  of  the 
refugee  status  determination 
procedure 
be 
in 
strengthened,  particularly 
identifying the country of origin. 
Limited  capacity  in  biometric 
devices  and  the  lack  of  data 
interoperability affect the efficiency of registration and the subsequent processing of asylum 
claims.  Kosovo  preserved  appropriate  reception  conditions  with  the  functioning  of  the 
temporary  reception  centre.  Registration  is  still  carried  out  outside  the  centre,  lacking 
appropriate profiling and referrals. 

should 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

international 

In  2024,  the  number  of  applicants 
for 
protection 
increased  by  6%,  compared  with 
2023.  Kosovo  accommodated 
these  applicants  at  the  temporary 
reception  centre  for  migrants  and 
provided them with certificates and 
identity  cards.  In  2024,  195  final 
decisions  were  made,  a  slight 
decrease  compared  with  2023 
received 
(204): 
international protection a decrease 
compared with 2023 (49 persons). 
Separately,  70  decisions  were 
issued  for  temporary  protection 
(65 initial grants and 5 extensions), representing a significant increase compared with 2023 
(19  decisions).  The  quality  of  the  procedure  for  determining  refugee  status  needs  to  be 

persons 

17 

47 

 
 
improved, in particular regarding the country of origin. Authorities increased the institutional 
provision of free legal aid translation. 

Visa policy 

Visa  policy  is  not  fully  aligned  with  that  of  the  EU,  in  particular  the  list  of  countries  whose 
nationals  require  a  visa  to  enter  the  EU.  The  list  of  visa  free  countries  diverges  by  16 
countries. Kosovo should progressively align its legislation with EU visa policy, with at least 
one  country  per  year  between  2025  and  2027.  Kosovo  unilaterally  adopted  a  decision 
allowing  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  ID  card  holders  to  enter  Kosovo  without  a  visa,  starting 
from January 1, 2025. 

Since 1 January 2024, holders of Kosovo passports enjoy visa-free travel to the EU. Kosovo 
had  a  long  information  campaign  on  rights  and  obligations,  which  was  also  aimed  at  non-
majority  communities.  In  2024,  Kosovo  was  included  in  EU  Visa  Suspension  Mechanism 
Report.  

Since  the  beginning  of  2024,  some  EU  Member  States  reported  a  substantial  increase  in 
unfounded asylum applications lodged by Kosovo citizens: in 2024, 5640 applications were 
lodged (+135% compared to 2023). As part of the steps taken to address the issue, Kosovo 
and  the  local  Schengen  cooperation  group  have  established  an  information  sharing 
mechanism to monitor asylum trends.  

Schengen governance and external borders 

The  legislative  and  strategic  framework  for  the  management  of  Kosovo  borders  is  largely 
aligned with the EU acquis. The management of borders is broadly satisfactory. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks 

Kosovo  Border  Police  employs  around  1500  officers,  an  increase  of  7%  compared  to  the 
previous year. While this is still below the optimal level, it is sufficient to cover three regional 
directorates  and  Pristina  Airport.  The  National  Centre  for  Border  Management  (NCBM)  is 
functioning well. Kosovo needs to set up the National Coordination Centre functionalities as 
part of the NCBM, in accordance with Frontex Regulation.  

Kosovo  should  adopt  a  Law  on  State  Border  Control  and  Surveillance.  Currently,  the 
legislative framework on integrated border management (IBM) and its implementation is at a 
level  that  meets  the  EU’s  minimum  requirements  for  border  control.  However,  some 
legislative updates and the new IBM Strategy are delayed. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity  

Kosovo  Police  largely  meets  EU  standards  for  border  security.  Kosovo  has  been 
implementing  inter-agency  cooperation  to  fight  cross-border  crime  and  smuggling,  as 
defined in IBM law. Kosovo’s cooperation with Frontex remains good. Frontex continues to 
support  border  management  authorities.  Border  infrastructure  and  equipment  remain 
underdeveloped.  

Kosovo  advanced  its  regional  cooperation  and  law  enforcement  coordination.  Kosovo  and 
North  Macedonia  formalised  a  joint  border  crossing  point  (BCP)  agreement  in  November 
2024,  which  became  operational  in  April  2025.  Regular  joint  patrols  continue  with  Albania, 
North  Macedonia  and  Montenegro.  Kosovo  is  an  active  participant  in  the  trilateral  Police 
Cooperation Centre based in Montenegro.  

Despite  operational  Interim  Common  Crossing  Points  (CCPs)  with  Serbia,  progress  on 
establishing  six  permanent  CCPs,  as  per  the  IBM  Technical  Protocol,  is  limited.  While 
Kosovo opened two, Serbia has not reciprocated. Similarly, two completed CCPs, Kapi and 
Izvor, remain non-operational despite being fully constructed and staffed, as no agreement 
has been reached to allow traffic.  Kosovo introduced measures to combat corruption, such 
as  deploying  body  cameras  on  border  police,  rotating  staff  and  appointing  newly  recruited 
officers directly to border crossing points. 

48 

 
 
Counterfeiting of the euro (criminal law aspect) 

The  relevant  legislation  on  suppression  of  counterfeit  currency  is  partially  aligned  with  the 
EU  acquis.  The  Criminal  Code  needs  to  be  further  aligned  with  the  relevant  EU  acquis. 
Kosovo has competent authorities and procedures in place to address counterfeit money. In 
2024,  relevant  authorities  investigated  one  case  of  counterfeiting  of  currency,  arrested  15 
people and filed 11 criminal charges. Kosovo Police took part in the International Operation 
for  Counterfeiting  Money  supported  by  Europol.  Kosovo  continued  its  participation  in 
Pericles  activities.  The  Central  Bank  took  action  to  effectively  address  the  issue  of 
counterfeit euro coins.  

2.3. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS 

2.3.1. The existence of a functioning market economy 

Economic governance 

Overall,  Kosovo’s  macro-economic policies remained prudent.  The budget  was  nearly 
balanced  in  2024,  despite  surging  capital  and  social  spending3.  Government  initiatives  to 
improve  public  investment  management  resulted  in  stronger  execution  rates.  Kosovo’s 
performance  under  the  two-year  Stand-By-Arrangement  (SBA),  as  well  as  the  Resilience 
and Sustainability Facility with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was strong, and both 
programmes were successfully concluded.  

The  policy  guidance  set  out  in  the  conclusions  of  the  Economic  and  Financial 
Dialogue of 14 May 2024 has been partially implemented. The spending structure slightly 
improved compared to  2023,  with  a small  increase in the  share of  public  capital  spending. 
Tax  revenue grew  robustly,  partly  due to improved  tax compliance  and some  formalisation 

3  Social  transfers  surged  by  22%  year-on-year,  reflecting  government  measures  ahead  of  the  9  February 

parliamentary elections, including higher child benefits and non-contributory pensions. 

49 

Table 19:202220232024Kosovo - Key economic figuresGDP per capita (% of EU-27 in PPS)22242730Real GDP growth 4.04.34.14.4Activity rate of the population aged 15-64 (%), total40.138.640.743.3      female20.222.024.225.9      male59.955.557.860.6Unemployment rate of the population aged 15-64 (%), total22.812.610.910.8      female27.616.518.218.0      male21.211.07.77.7Employment of the population aged 15-64 (annual growth %)4.55.45.4-2.6Nominal wages (annual growth %)2.67.69.412.1Consumer price index (annual growth %)1.511.64.91.6Exchange rate against EUR*1.01.01.01.0Current account balance (% of GDP)-7.1-10.3-7.5-8.9Net foreign direct investment, FDI (% of GDP)3.46.36.76.0General government balance (% of GDP)-2.8-0.5-0.2-0.3General government debt (% of GDP)18.220.017.516.9* The euro is used as a de facto domestic currencySources: Kosovo Agency of Statistics, Central Bank of Kosovo, Ministry of Finance, World Bank and IMF2016-21 average 
 
 
 
 
gains.  Financial  oversight  of  POEs  has  been  strengthened  but  amendments  to  the  POEs’ 
law  to  improve  their  corporate  governance  are  still  pending.  For  2025-2027,  Kosovo’s 
Economic  Reform  Programme  (ERP)  aims  to  maintain  stable  public  finances  while 
complying  with  fiscal  rules  and  supporting  economic  growth  through  higher  public 
investment. 

Macroeconomic stability 

economic 

Kosovo’s 
growth 
accelerated  in  2024  on  the  back 
of  stronger  private  consumption 
and public investment. Real GDP 
growth  picked  up  to  4.4%,  up  from 
4.1%  in  2023,  and  slightly  above 
the  average  growth  rate  of  4%  in 
2016-2021.  Private  consumption 
growth  accelerated  on  the  back  of 
growing  bank  lending  and  rising 
real  disposable  incomes,  boosted 
by  increasing  wages  and  social 
transfers.  Furthermore,  a  surge  in 
formation 
gross 
resulted  from  a  strong  increase  in  public  investment.  Public  consumption  growth  slowed 
markedly,  partly  due  to  the  high  base  in  2023.  Net  exports  had  a  negative  contribution  to 
growth,  mainly  due  to  an  acceleration  in  real  imports  growth.  Economic  activity  slightly 
slowed in the first quarter of 2025, with real GDP growth easing to 3.6% y-o-y, from 4.1% in 
the preceding quarter. Kosovo’s per capita GDP remains the lowest in the Western Balkan 
region, standing at 30% of the EU average in 2024, but higher than the average of 22% in 
2016-2021. 

capital 

fixed 

in 

increase 

external  position 
Kosovo’s 
deteriorated 
2024.  The 
in 
current  account  deficit  rose  to 
nearly  9%  of GDP,  up  from  7.5% 
in  2023.  The  key  drivers  were  a 
notable  decline  in  the  secondary 
income  surplus,  partly  due  to  the 
moderate  fall  of  remittances  as  a 
share  of  GDP,  coupled  with  a 
slight 
the 
merchandise  trade  deficit.  This 
more  than  offset  the  rise  in  the 
trade  surplus  by  0.6 
services 
pps., 
to  17.4%  of  GDP.  The 
primary income surplus remained broadly stable at 2.1% of GDP. Further unofficial services 
exports and remittances were reflected in large errors and omissions (2.5% of GDP) in the 
balance  of  payments.  In  the  first  quarter  of  2025,  the  current  account  deficit  deteriorated, 
with  its  rolling  4-quarter  total  widening  to  9.1%  of  GDP.  In  2024,  this  deficit  was  mainly 
financed by net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, which decreased by 0.7 percentage 
points  (pps.)  to  6%  of  GDP,  with  the  bulk  directed  to  real  estate  as  well  as  financial  and 
insurance  services.  At  end-2024, 
official  reserve  assets  amounted  to  2 
months  of 
imports  of  goods  and 
services. 

Annual 
to  an 
inflation  slowed 
average of 1.6% in 2024, well below 

50 

 
 
the  4.9%  rate  registered  in  2023,  mainly  driven  by  lower  commodity  prices  in 
international markets. However, consumer price inflation picked up to an average of 2.8% 
y-o-y  in  the  first  half  of  2025  and  further  to  4.3%  and  4.5%  y-o-y  in  July  and  August 
respectively,  mainly  due  to  accelerating  prices  for  electricity,  food  and  non-alcoholic 
beverages.  On  16th  April,  the  Energy  Regulatory  Office  Board  had  approved  a  linear 
electricity tariff increase of 16.1% for all consumer categories, which came into force on 1st 
May.  

Robust  tax  revenue  growth  and  surging  capital  and  social  spending  resulted  in  the 
budget remaining close to balance in 2024. The headline fiscal deficit marginally rose to 
0.3% of GDP in 2024 (from 0.2% in 2023), which corresponds to a surplus of 0.5% of GDP 
under  the  fiscal  rule’s  definition4.  This  outcome  resulted  from  an  8.2%  increase  in  public 
revenues,  partly  due  to  improved  tax  compliance  and  some  formalisation  gains,  that  was 
slightly outpaced by budget expenditure growth (8.4%). Public capital spending rose strongly 
by  16.7%  y-o-y;  however,  it  only  reached  around  75%  of  the  budget  allocation,  reflecting 
remaining  weaknesses  in  implementation  capacity.  Roughly  in  line  with  the  budget  plan, 
current expenditure grew by 6.4% y-o-y, mainly on the back of increased spending on goods 
and  services (8.2%),  transfers and  subsidies (3.2%)  and wages (10%). The  latter  increase 
was due to the implementation of the law on public-sector wages and the rise in the amount 
paid from court rulings5. Government deposits slightly increased to 4.1% of GDP. 

Public debt is low and falling, while the domestic investor base for government debt 
remains narrow. On the back of a marginal primary surplus and high nominal GDP growth, 
the public debt-to--GDP ratio fell to 16.9% of GDP at end-2024, the lowest level since 2017, 
and down from 17.5% one year earlier. It further declined to 16% of GDP at end-June 2025. 
In  2024,  domestic  debt,  which  is  held  by  a  narrow  investor  base,  fell  marginally  by  0.8% 
year--on--year. In March 2025, the share of domestic debt held by the KPST stood at 46%, 
while  the  Central  Bank  of  Kosovo  and  commercial  banks  held  a  further  24%  and  21%, 
respectively. Foreign debt, owed mostly to international donors, rose by 12% in 2024. This 
includes  loans  from  the  International  Monetary  Fund,  the  World  Bank,  and  the  European 
Investment  Bank.  However,  the  political  deadlock  has  hindered  the  ratification  of  new 
external  financing  agreements  with  international  financial  institutions.  In  May  2025,  Fitch 
Ratings  reaffirmed  its  ‘BB-’  sovereign  credit  rating,  with  a  stable  outlook,  that  Kosovo  had 
obtained  for  the  first  time  in  April  2024,  improving  the  prospects  of  accessing  international 
financial markets in future. 

There has been some progress in fiscal governance. The 2025 budget includes slightly 
lower  blanket  allocations  compared  with  the  previous  year’s  one,  improving  fiscal 
transparency. A stand-alone annual fiscal risk analysis for POEs, limited to high-risk POEs, 
was published in October 2024. The distribution and supply of electricity in northern Kosovo 
were  normalised  in  2024  as  the  electricity  supply  company  Elektrosever  has  started  bill 
collections,  thus  generated  savings  and  reduced  fiscal  risks.  In  2024,  there  was  a  strong 
increase in public capital spending even though the recurring under-execution of the capital 
budget  points  to  remaining  weaknesses  in  the  planning  and  implementation  of  public 
investment  projects.  The  spending  overrun  on  war  veterans’  pensions  has  not  been 

4  The fiscal rule places a cap on the fiscal deficit of 2% of forecast GDP, excluding capital projects financed by 
privatisation proceeds and donors (‘investment clause’). This exemption for donor-financed investment can be 
invoked until 2026, provided the public debt ratio remains below 30% of GDP. A further rule  stipulates that 
the  increase  in  the public  wage  bill  cannot  exceed  the  nominal  GDP  growth  rate  of  the  latest  calendar  year 
available at the time the consolidated budget is being prepared. Government deposits used as fiscal buffers are 
legally required to stay at 4.5% of GDP as long as the government uses privatisation proceeds. The debt rule 
requires that public and publicly guaranteed debt cannot exceed 40% of GDP. 

5 The law came into force in February 2023 setting the value of the wage coefficient at EUR 105 for 2023 and 
EUR 110 for 2024. Most of the rulings concerned unbudgeted allowances obtained by teachers, doctors, and 
other public employees through collective agreements. 

51 

 
 
 
resolved, due to the absence of a reclassification of beneficiaries.  

A  track  record  of  prudent  fiscal  policies  created  space  for  a  planned  strong  fiscal 
impulse in 2025. The 2025 budget expects the headline deficit to widen significantly to 2.8% 
of  GDP,  mainly  through  an  arguably  very  ambitious  further  surge  in  public  investment. 
Nevertheless, the budget appropriately aims to keep the deficit (according to the fiscal rule’s 
definition)  at  the  prescribed  ceiling  of  2%  of  GDP,  maintaining  the  credibility  of  Kosovo’s 
well-functioning set of fiscal rules.  

Functioning of product markets 

Business environment 

Some progress was made in improving the business environment. In September 2024, 
the  new  Law  on  sustainable  investment  came  into  force,  following  a  review  by  the 
Constitutional Court. The purpose of the Law is to create a comprehensive legal framework 
to protect and promote sustainable investment in Kosovo. In November 2024, the Assembly 
adopted  the  law  on  the  Register  of  Beneficial  Owners,  which  was  an  important  step  in 
combating  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing,  by  identifying  the  ultimate  beneficial 
owners  of  businesses.  The  government  also  adopted  a  new  administrative  burden 
prevention and reduction programme (2025-2028) and its action plan for 2025-2026. There 
was an acceleration in settling commercial disputes. In 2024, 4 276 first-instance judgments 
and 2 693 second-instance judgments by the Commercial Court were published.  

Efforts  to  further  reduce  the  informal  sector  continue.  In  the  reporting  period,  the  Tax 
Administration  of  Kosovo  (TAK)  made  progress 
its  compliance  risk 
management  techniques,  using  information  from  financial  and  tax  databases  to  better 
identify tax evasion, and supporting further formalisation of the economy. Under the new law 
on the administration of tax procedures, TAK started establishing data-sharing arrangements 
with  commercial  banks,  the  CBK  and  other  government  agencies,  to  enable  systematic 
access to bulk third-party data for better compliance monitoring.  

in  upgrading 

State influence on product markets 

The State aid policy framework is partially aligned with EU rules and principles while 
steps were taken to fully liberalise the electricity market. The existing framework lacks a 
unified  approach  to  State  aid  as  well  as  a  comprehensive  strategy  and  cost-benefit 
assessments  for  the  aid  and  subsidies  granted.  The  Assembly  has  still  not  appointed  the 
State  Aid Commission, the  institution  ensuring  State  aid control  and adopting decisions  on 
State  aid  schemes.  The  liberalisation  of  electricity  prices  for  businesses  with  an  annual 
turnover  of  more  than  EUR  10  million  or  employing  more  than  50  employees  became 
effective on 1 June 2025. 

Privatisation and restructuring 

The  creation  of  a sovereign fund  has been  delayed.  The law  on the establishment  of  a 
sovereign  fund  was  adopted  by  the  Assembly  in  mid-December  2023,  but  it  is  being 
reviewed  by  the  Constitutional  Court.  The  fund  is  expected  to  take  over  socially  owned 
enterprises6 and assets currently managed by the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK) as 
well as some POEs overseen by the Ministry of Economy, once their financial performance 
improves.  However,  establishing  the  fund  will  not  be  sufficient  to  resolve  the  persistent 
problems related to poor financial performance and management of POEs. In the reporting 
period, the comprehensive review of the assets of PAK continued, identifying assets suitable 
for transferring to the sovereign fund.  

Functioning of the financial market 

6 Socially owned enterprises were considered to be shared social property in the former Yugoslavia. 

52 

 
 
 
The  banking  sector  continued  to  expand  robustly  while  maintaining  adequate 
capitalisation  and  liquidity  buffers.  The  average  return-on-equity  ratio  remained  high, 
although  it  fell  to  17.6%  in  July  2025  from  19.9%  at  end-2024.  The  non-performing  loans 
ratio stood at a historically low level of 1.9% at end-2024, while it slightly increased to 2.1% 
at end-July 2025. The ratio of banks’ regulatory capital to risk-weighted assets rose to 16.2% 
at  end-2024  and  further  to  17.4%  at  end-July  2025,  comfortably  exceeding  the  regulatory 
minimum of 12%. Bank loan growth slightly accelerated to an average of 14.3% in 2024 from 
14.1% a year before, and further to 19.9% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, largely due 
to  a  faster  pace  of  credit  growth  to  households,  including  for  consumption  purposes.  Bank 
deposits’  average  growth  slowed  to  10%  in 2024 from  nearly  14%  one year  earlier,  before 
accelerating  to  14.3%  year-on-year  in  the  first  half  of  2025.  Data  gaps,  in  particular  in  the 
area of private sector indebtedness and the real estate sector, hinder analysis and financial 
sector supervision. 

Functioning of the labour market 

Despite 
significant 
employment  gains,  the  labour 
market is characterised by still 
low  participation,  high 
very 
unemployment 
large 
force 
gender  gaps.  Labour 
survey  results  continue  to  be 
published  in  Kosovo  with  large 
delays  with  the  latest  available 
to  2024  as  a 
data  referring 
whole.  In  line  with  the  robust 
economic 
the 
employment  rate  increased  to 
38.6%,  up  from  36.3%  in  2023.  Meanwhile,  the  unemployment  rate  declined  by  0.1  pp.  to 
10.8%,  despite  the  increase  in  the  labour  force  participation  rate  to  43.3%  from  40.7%  in 
2023.  The  gap  between  male  and  female  employment  rates  (55.9%  and  21.2%, 
respectively) widened. In 2024, the share of young people (aged 15-24) not in employment, 
education or training (NEET) decreased to 31.4%, from 33.4% a year before. Weak labour 
market outcomes contribute to continuously high emigration rates. 

activity, 

and 

2.3.2. The capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces in the EU 

Education and innovation 

Inadequate quality of education and misalignment with labour market needs remains 
a  key  structural  obstacle.  Kosovo  ranked  81st  and  last  in  the  2022  cycle  of  the  ECD 
Programme  for  International  Student  Assessment  (PISA),  while  unemployment  among 
tertiary education graduates is still high. This is due to inadequate quality and relevance of 
education,  which  are  undermined  by  an  absence of  quality  learning materials  in schools,  a 
lack  of  initial  training  and  continuous  professional  development  for  teachers,  and  an 
insufficient  number  of  inspectors  for  teachers’  assessment.  On  teacher  development,  in 
December  2024,  an  advanced  teaching  license  examination  was  launched.  The  12  dual 
education profiles piloted over the last two years continue to be implemented facilitating the 
transition from school to the labour market.  

Little  progress  has  been  achieved  in  improving  Kosovo’s  research  and  innovation 
system. Budget allocation for research and development, at 0.1% of GDP, is far below the 
0.7% required by law. Participation in the Horizon Europe programme has further potential.  
Since  its  launch,  Kosovo  has  submitted  171  project  applications,  of  which  15  were 
considered successful, receiving total EU funding of EUR 1.59 million and resulting in a very 
low success rate of 9.36%. The Law on Innovation and Entrepreneurship aims to encourage 
innovative activities in Kosovo as well as establish the Innovation Fund, but its adoption by 

53 

 
 
the Assembly is pending. 

Physical capital and quality of infrastructure 

Large infrastructure gaps limit Kosovo’s full economic potential and output. There has 
been  no  progress  on the Pristina  –  Merdare  motorway  or the  ‘Peace  Highway’,  as Kosovo 
has  not  yet  negotiated  the  loan  agreements  for  the  project  with  supporting  international 
financial  institutions.  The  rehabilitation  works  for  Rail  Route  10  continued  at  a  slow  pace. 
The  tendering  of  signalling  systems  and telecommunications,  which is  of  utmost  priority,  is 
still delayed, due to lack of financing. The feasibility study for the railway connection between 
Durrës  and  Pristina  has  been  finalised.  The  transport  system  continues  facing  significant 
challenges related to safety, inadequate maintenance, and limited administrative capacity of 
regulatory institutions. 

Despite  recent  efforts  to  diversify  the  energy  supply  and  increase  efficiency,  the 
energy  sector  remains  a  key  obstacle  to  economic  growth.  Over  90%  of  electricity  is 
produced  by  two  outdated,  highly  unreliable  and  polluting  lignite  power  plants,  posing 
serious  health  and  environmental  risks.  Kosovo  also  suffers  from  major  technical  and 
commercial  losses  in  the  distribution  and  transmission  grids  due  to  poor  infrastructure 
(nearly  22%  of  electric  power  output  in  2023)7.  The  lack  of  energy  security  gives  rise  to 
significant costs for business and represents one of the biggest obstacles to attracting FDI. 
In  December  2024,  Kosovo  inaugurated  its  intra-day  electricity  market  coupling  with  the 
Albanian power exchange (ALPEX). Kosovo has launched its first tender for up to 100 MW 
of  wind  energy,  with  bids  received  in  late  February.  The  second  phase  of  the  tender 
procedure,  where  three  qualified  companies  bid  with  technical  and  financial  proposals  is 
under way. 

The digital transformation of the economy is advancing gradually. Although Kosovo is 
the  leader  in  the  Western  Balkan  region  with  98.6%  of  households  having  some  form  of 
internet  access  in  2023  (OECD,  2024),  and  with  100%  broadband  coverage,  challenges 
remain  in  developing  high-speed  broadband  infrastructure,  including  limited  private  sector 
investment  capacities,  an  outdated  cable  network,  and  delays  in  5G  development.  The  e-
commerce sector is still in its early stages. Progress in public sector digitalisation has been 
slow, with only 10% of all public services currently offered online, most of which are merely 
informational  (OECD,  2024).  However,  Kosovo  made  some  progress  in  the  area  of  digital 
services  with  230  online  services  now  available on  the  e-Kosova  platform.  In  the  reporting 
period,  the  government  launched  the  piloting  phase  of  the  national  electronic  identification 
(eID) system. 

Sectoral and enterprise structure 

The  services  sector  continued  to  dominate  economic  activity  in  2024,  providing 
almost 46% of gross value added (GVA). The sectoral structure of GVA shows a gradual 
increase in the share of wholesale and retail trade, to 14.3% in 2024, up from less than 13% 
in 2019,  while the  share  of  construction  remained  broadly  unchanged  at around  8%  in this 
period.  Industry  represented  18.5%  of  gross  value  added  in  2024,  but  Kosovo’s 
manufacturing base remains narrow, relying mainly on mineral mining and processed metal 
products.  The  share  of  agriculture  in  GVA  remained  virtually  unchanged  at  around  7%  in 
2024, compared to 5 years before. At the same time, the share of real estate activities fell by 
1.3 pps. to 5.6% compared to 2019. 

The  private  sector  is  dominated  by  small  firms  which  still  facing  difficult  access  to 
finance. SMEs and family-run businesses account for 81.3% of employment in non-financial 
businesses  and  generate  81%  of  Kosovo’s  total  value  added.  Kosovo’s  Reform  Agenda 

7 Kosovo’s Energy Regulatory Office (2024), Annual Report 2023. 

54 

 
 
 
 
aims  at  supporting  the  creation  and  scaling-up  of  start-ups  and  micro,  small  and  medium-
sized  enterprises  (MSMEs)  specialised  in  ICT  and  green  and  circular  economies,  by 
establishing  an  Innovation  Fund  and  business  incubators.  Some  progress  was  made  with 
various financing options available through the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund (KCGF), but 
access to finance is overall still limited, affecting mostly smaller businesses.  

Economic integration with the EU and price competitiveness 

The  EU  remained  Kosovo’s  largest  trading  partner  while  services  exports  have 
expanded rapidly. In 2024, the EU accounted for 44.7% of Kosovo’s total imports of goods, 
lower than in 2019 (49.1%), while the CEFTA partners’ share decreased by 1 pp. to 13.4%. 
In  early  October  2024,  Kosovo  started  lifting  restrictions  on  imports  of  Serbian  goods, 
imposed  in  mid-June  2023.  The  EU’s  share  in  Kosovo’s  merchandise  exports  remained 
unchanged in 2024 compared to 2019, at 33.2% while the CEFTA countries’ share rose to 
45.2%,  up  from  43%.  Trade  openness (i.e.  the total  value  of  exports  and imports)  stood  at 
114.3%  of  GDP  in  2024,  significantly  higher  than  in  2019  (85.8%),  on  the  back  of  a much 
higher  value  of  both  goods  and  services  trade.  Kosovo’s  services  exports  are  significantly 

larger  than  its  goods  exports,  and  are  dominated  by  travel  services  (mainly  related  to 
diaspora tourism from Western Europe), followed by ICT service exports, which have been 
growing rapidly in recent years.  

The EU remains the main investor in Kosovo. Net FDI inflows fell by around 4% in 2024. 
The  bulk  of  inflows  was  on  the  back  of  significant  diaspora  investment  in  real  estate, 
followed  by  financial  and  insurance  activities.  Substantial  concentration  in  these  sectors 
(93.5%  of  FDI  inflows)  does  little  to  improve  Kosovo’s  export  capacity.  The  EU’s  share  in 
Kosovo’s  net  FDI  stock  reached  43.8%  in  2024,  up  from  34.6%  in  2019.  The  shares  of 
Germany  and  Switzerland  (two  countries  with  large  diasporas  from  Kosovo)  increased  to 
19.4% and 18.7%, respectively, in 2024, up from 13% for each of them in 2019.  Concerns 
over  external  competitiveness  have  increased  as  real  wages  grew  by  12.7%  in  20248, 
supported by a raise in the minimum wage effective from 1 October 2024. 

2.4. PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, STATISTICS, FINANCIAL CONTROL  

Chapter 5 – Public procurement 

EU  rules ensure  that the public  procurement  of goods,  services and  works  in any  Member 
State  is  transparent  and  open  to  all  EU  companies  on  the  basis  of  non-discrimination  and 
equal treatment. 

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

The  legal  framework  on  public  procurement  remains  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  public 
procurement  acquis.  The  draft 
laws  on  public  procurement  and  on  public-private 

8 IMF (2025), Republic of Kosovo, Fourth Reviews Under the Stand-By Arrangement and the Arrangement 
Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, No 25/112. 

55 

 
 
 
partnerships/concessions  have  been  pending  approval  by  the  Ministry  of  Finance,  Labour 
and Transfers for over four years. The drafting of the implementing legislation for both laws 
has not started. 

The functional independence of the Procurement Review Body (PRB) which is underlined by 
the EU acquis, still needs to be reflected in the draft law on public procurement. The Inter-
Institutional Cooperation Protocol has facilitated good cooperation and coordination between 
public procurement and rule of law institutions and the Kosovo National Audit Office.  

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

In  2024,  the  public  procurement  market  accounted  for  9.3%  of  GDP,  an  increase  from 
8.2% in 2023. While the total number of signed contracts decreased slightly from 10 183 in 
2023 to 10 012 in 2024, their total value rose to EUR 941 million, up from EUR 810 million in 
2023. Contracts awarded based on the best price-quality ratio criterion represented 13.5% of 
the total value in 2024, compared to 14.2% in 2023. The average number of bids per tender 
remained stable at 3.5. 

The PPRC supports the use of the best price-quality ratio criterion through training initiatives, 
yet the lowest price criterion remains predominant, accounting for 86.9% of public contracts 
awarded, up from 85.8% in 2023. The use of negotiated procedures without prior publication 
of  contract  notices  has  dropped  significantly  from  13.5%  in  2023  to  5.71%  in  2024,  and  to 
which  is  positive.  However,  improvements  in  planning  are  needed  along  with  a  continued 
reduction in negotiated procedures and a decrease in annulled procurement activities, which 
stood at 24% in 2024. 

A significant milestone was achieved with the e-procurement’s system interconnection to the 
Kosovo  Financial  Management  and 
technically 
interoperable.  In  2024,  the  PPRC  conducted  its  first  public  auction  through  the  e-
procurement  platform  e-prokurimi,  marking  an  important  step  towards  further  digitising 
administrative processes.  

Information  System,  which 

is  now 

The  PPRC  and  PRB  continue  to  operate  with  insufficient  technical  and  human  capacities. 
The  capacity  to  manage  public  procurement  processes  varies.  In  2024,  1 322 
procurement officials and economic operators received training. The Kosovo administration 
should refrain from using the service contracts to hire regular personnel.  

Public procurement remains susceptible to irregularities and corruption. The Kosovo National 
Audit Office identified several shortcomings in this area, noting that procurement processes 
were  often  delayed,  non-compliant  with  legal  requirements,  poorly  planned  and  frequently 
bypassing public procurement procedures. 

Efficient remedy system 

The legislation on the right to legal remedy is partially in line with the EU acquis. Appeals 
against  procurement  awards  can  be  lodged through the  e procurement platform.  However, 
the PRB board is still incomplete, with its President currently serving in an acting capacity. 
The PRB continues to rely on short-term external expertise, which is recommended only for 
reviewing  specific  cases.  This  should  be  replaced  with  long-term  qualified  legal  review 
experts to ensure transparent, efficient and quality decisions on complaints. 

Chapter 18 – Statistics 

European  statistics  are  developed,  produced  and  disseminated  by  EU  Member  States, 
guided  by  the  principles  and  quality  criteria  elaborated  in  the  Regulation  on  European 
statistics,  such  as  professional  independence,  impartiality,  reliability,  accessibility,  and 
statistical  confidentiality.  Common  rules  are  in  place  for  the  methodology,  production  and 
dissemination of statistical information, which are further specified in sectoral legislation that 
constitute the EU acquis on statistics. 

56 

 
 
On statistical infrastructure, coordination of the statistical system is weak and KAS should 
be  further  empowered  to  improve  statistical  governance  and  coordination  and  access 
administrative  data  sources.  KAS  should  also  implement  legal  provisions  guaranteeing 
access to individual records in administrative data sources held by other public institutions. 
Recent  restrictions  in  this  respect  negatively  impact  the  production  of  statistics  and  the 
maintenance  of  statistical  registers.  KAS’s  infrastructure  and  capacities  are  in  a  constant 
need of upgrading.  

On classifications and registers, efforts were made to upgrade to NACE Rev 2.1 to align 
with the EU acquis. Existing registers (agriculture, business and households), as well as the 
population register, need upgrading.  

On  macroeconomic  statistics,  alignment  with  the  European  System  of  Accounts  (ESA) 
2010  is  ongoing.  In  September  2024,  KAS  published  GDP  data  by  economic  activity  and 
expenditure  approach  for  2008-2023,  based  on  ESA  2010.  Methodological  inconsistencies 
remain.  Data  gaps  remain  in  national  accounts  main  aggregates,  supply,  use  and  input-
output tables, as well as in foreign direct investment statistics. Kosovo has not provided any 
excessive deficit procedure notifications, nor any government finance statistics to Eurostat in 
2024  and  2025.  The  harmonised  index  of  consumer  prices  is  regularly  published.    As 
regards purchasing power parities (PPP), relevant sectoral surveys and questionnaires have 
been initiated, and some data were sent to Eurostat. 

Structural  business  statistics  are  limited  and  lack  distinction  between  public  and  private 
investments  or  by  sectors.  The  last  industry  statistics  on  manufactured  goods  were 
published  in  December  2023  and  foreign  affiliate  statistics  are  not  available.  Tourism  and 
transport  statistics  are  not  aligned  with the  EU  acquis,  while statistics  on  development  and 
innovation are not produced on a regular basis. ICT statistics were not published since 2023. 

In the area of social statistics, only demographic statistics are broadly in line with the EU 
acquis.  The  results  of  the  recent  population  and  household  census  were  published  in 
December  2024,  which  should  support  evidence-based  policymaking.  Statistics  on  income 
and living conditions (regular EU-SILC survey) are produced annually, with efforts ongoing to 
align  data  quality  with  the  EU  acquis.  Social  welfare  statistics  are  produced  on  a  monthly 
basis, whereas labour market statistics are only partially produced. Labour force survey data 
has not been transmitted to Eurostat. Kosovo still does not produce statistics on the labour 
cost index, the structure of earnings data or job vacancies. Public health and crime statistics 
are  not  yet  in  line  with  the  EU  acquis.  KAS  does  not  systematically  compile  gender-
disaggregated data. 

For  agricultural  statistics,  KAS  publishes  data  on  annual  agricultural  crops,  livestock 
production  and orchards.  The  agricultural  holding  survey is  regularly  produced  and  aligned 
with  the  EU  acquis.  Supply  balance  sheets  and  the  agriculture  labour  index  are  not  yet 
produced regularly. Preparations for the agricultural census in 2026 have started. 

Energy and environment statistics remain partially in line with the EU acquis. The lack of 
energy efficiency indicators remains an obstacle to reporting on energy savings. There has 
been  some  progress  on air  emission  accounts  and  environmental taxes,  although  data  are 
not yet aligned with the EU acquis. 

Chapter 32 – Financial control 

The  EU  promotes  the  reform  of  national  governance  systems  to  improve  managerial 
accountability, sound financial management of income and expenditure, and external audits 
of public funds. The financial control rules further protect the EU’s financial interests against 
fraud in the management of EU funds and protect the euro against counterfeiting. 

Public internal financial control 

The  strategic  and  legal  framework  for  public  internal  financial  control  (PIFC)  is  broadly  in 
place, while the implementation of the comprehensive PFM strategy (2022-2026) is lagging 

57 

 
 
behind,  with  persisting  challenges  in  integrating  managerial  accountability  into  the 
administrative practice and culture at both central and local levels of administration. 

The  coordinating  and  monitoring  role  of  the  Central  Harmonisation  Unit’s  (CHU)  and  its 
transparency  can  be  further  enhanced  through  regular  and  effective  evaluation  of  the 
performance of management and control systems, publication of the annual PIFC report and 
diligent follow-up reporting on the implementation of the CHU recommendations.  

Kosovo  has  a  functionally  independent  internal  audit,  guided  by  risk  assessment  and 
supported  by  strategic  and  annual  planning  and  a  comprehensive  methodology.  Internal 
audit  covers  99%  of  the  country  budget,  but  quality  is  affected  by  low  staffing.  Despite 
certified  auditors,  only  half  of  internal  audit  units  meet  staffing  requirements  and  25.6%  of 
public  entities  lack  legally  required  internal  audit  function.  Addressing  these  capacity  gaps 
remains a priority.  

External audit 

To achieve full alignment with international standards Kosovo needs to adopt a new law to 
streamline  and  extend  the  mandate  of  the  National  Audit  Office  (NAO),  competences  and 
accountability and, in due course, anchor the independence of NAO  in the Constitution.  

The NAO has advanced with the implementation of its strategic plan (2023-2026), with 68% 
of the targets achieved, and, in 2025, adopted a new IT Audit Strategy 2025-2027 to support 
the digitalisation of the audit process and management.  

The  external  audit  capacity  and  quality  have  improved  with  the  adoption  of  new  Quality 
Management  Guidelines.    The  NAO  has  increased  its  focus  on  performance  audits  by 
conducting more audits, following up on all 2019 recommendations, and successfully piloting 
a  system 
implementation  of  NAO 
implementation.  However, 
recommendations  remains  insufficient,  with  only  37%  completed.  Compliance  among 
publicly owned enterprises is especially weak, at just 25%, further eroding accountability. 

to  monitor 

their 

the 

Parliamentary  oversight  is  gradually  improving,  as  evidenced  by  21  meetings  of  the 
Committee  for  Oversight  of  Public  Finance,  held  to  discuss  24  audit  reports  in  2024.  The 
NAO has The Balkan Barometer ranks NAO as the most trusted institution at regional level. 
More user-friendly publication of audit findings, recommendations, and follow-up will further 
enhance  external  audit 
the  NAO’s  already  proactive 
communication efforts in effectively  reaching local authorities, the public, CSOs, academia, 
and the media. 

transparency  and  support 

Protection of the EU’s financial interests  

No  progress  has  been  made  in  this  area.  Kosovo  needs  to  align  its  legislation  with  the 
Directive  on  the  fight  against  fraud  to  the  Union’s  financial  interests  by  means  of  criminal 
law,  and  clearly  define  its  strategic  priorities  in  combating  fraud  and  corruption  with  EU 
funds.  Kosovo must  significantly  enhance  and  digitalise  irregularity  management,  establish 
an  anti-fraud  coordination  service  (AFCOS)  and  corresponding  network,  and  ensure 
adequate  administrative  capacity  and  methodological  framework  to  guarantee  effective 
detection, management and reporting of irregularities and fraud.  

Protection of the euro against counterfeiting  

The  system  for  tackling  euro  counterfeiting  is  at  an  early  stage,  although  some  alignment 
with  the  EU  acquis  has  been  achieved  through  the  Law  on  the  Central  Bank  of  Kosovo 
(CBK)  and  the  Criminal  Code.  However,  Kosovo  needs  to  upgrade  the  legal  framework, 
establish  the  National  Counterfeit  Centre  at  the  CBK,  the  National  Central  Office  at  the 
Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs,  the  National  Analysis  Centre  and  the  Coin  National  Analysis 
Centre at the Forensic Agency, and create a coordination mechanism to ensure timely data 
exchange. The cooperation agreement between the CBK and the European Central Bank in 
the  area  of  prevention  and  detection  of  counterfeiting  of  euro  banknotes  has  still  to  be 

58 

 
 
finalised.  Kosovo  is  recommended  to  ratify  the  Geneva  Convention,  to  upscale  the  fight 
against counterfeit currency. 

3. GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION  

Good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation form an essential part of Kosovo’s EU 
integration process. They help bring about stability, reconciliation and a climate conducive to 
constructively addressing open bilateral issues and legacies of the past. 

Kosovo maintained  its  engagement  in  a  number  of  regional  cooperation  initiatives  such  as 
the  Central  European  Free  Trade  Agreement  (CEFTA  –  where  it  has  been  holding  the 
chairmanship since 1 January 2025), the Energy Community, the Transport Community, the 
South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) and the Regional Cooperation Council. 

The  fifth  annual  EU-Western  Balkans  Summit  took  place  in  Brussels  in  December  2024, 
reaffirming the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans and exploring measures 
to further advance gradual integration.  

Kosovo has actively engaged in the regional dimension of the Growth Plan for the Western 
Balkans, participating in both ministerial and leaders’ meetings. 

On  the  Common  Regional  Market  (CRM),  at  the  Berlin  process  summit  in  London  in 
October 2025, the leaders of the region endorsed a revised and streamlined action plan to 
implement the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, adopted a Western Balkans Climate 
Adaptation Roadmap and committed to make progress in the promotion of regional mobility 
and implementation of relevant regional agreements and CEFTA decisions. Kosovo signed 
the  fifth mobility  agreement  on  access  to  higher education  and admission to studies in the 
Western Balkans and adopted the CRM action plan 2025-2028. So far, Kosovo has ratified 
four  out  of  the  five  regional  mobility  agreements.  The  roadmap  for  roaming  between  the 
Western Balkans and the EU entered the first phase of implementation.  

Kosovo took over the CEFTA Chairmanship from 1 January 2025. The implementation of 12 
decisions  was  agreed  by  the  CEFTA  Joint  Committee  in  October  2024,  following  an 
agreement between CEFTA members that allowed decision making in the organisation to be 
unblocked. A decision was finally taken on the appointment of a Director of CEFTA after the 
post had been vacant for two and a half years. This had a significant negative impact of the 
work of CEFTA and, for a short period, saw the Commission suspend its support.  

The  unresolved  fate  of  missing  persons,  who  disappeared  during  the  conflicts  of  the 
1990s,  remains  a  key  issue  in  the  Western  Balkans.  Since  April  2024,  Kosovo  authorities 
clarified the fate of 26 missing person cases. As of April 2025, 1 590 persons remain missing 
as a consequence of the conflict.   

During the reporting period, two ad-hoc sessions of the Pristina-Belgrade Working Group on 
Missing  Persons  took  place,  followed  by  technical  discussions,  including  sessions  of  the 
Sub-Working  Group  on  Forensic  Issues  (SWG)  and  the  Analysis  Team.  Delegations 
reached several agreements: to address a list of prioritised locations of alleged gravesites, 
to conduct six joint field excavations (ongoing), to jointly examine five sets of human remains 
at  the  Pristina  Institute  of  Forensic  Medicine  and  to  repatriate  four  sets  of  remains  from 
Pristina to Belgrade.  

The  SWG  technical  session  planned  for  January  2025  was  postponed.  Nevertheless,  in 
March  2025,  the  ICRC  facilitated  a  joint  meeting  between  forensic  experts  from  both 
Delegations to address cases of unidentified human remains. In June 2025, ICRC chaired a 
WG  meeting  on  Missing  Persons,  where  both  parties  committed  to  address  several 
prioritised  locations  of  alleged  gravesites  in  Kosovo  and  Serbia.  Delegations  agreed  to 
resume meetings at technical level, and the next session of the sub-WG on Forensic Issues 
should take place in mid-September 2025 in Belgrade. 

59 

 
 
 
The  terms  of  reference  of  the  Joint  Commission  to  oversee  the  implementation  of 
Declaration on Missing Persons endorsed at the high-level, EU-facilitated Dialogue meeting 
on 2 May 2023 were agreed in December 2024, marking the first step in implementation. 

Kosovo  maintained  good  relations  with  Albania.  The  assemblies  of  Albania  and  Kosovo 
held  a  joint  plenary  session  in  December  2024.  On  18  March  2025,  Kosovo,  Albania  and 
Croatia signed trilateral declaration on defence to promote defence capabilities and counter 
hybrid threats. 

Kosovo has good neighbourly relations with Montenegro. Although there were no high-level 
meetings,  the  two  continued  cross-border  cooperation  under  the  2021-2027  IPA  III  Cross 
Border Cooperation programme.  

Kosovo  had  continuing  good  bilateral  relations  with  North  Macedonia.  On  18  November 
2024,  both  governments  held  a  joint  session  in  Pristina  where  they  announced  the 
establishment of joint checkpoints at the two main border crossings.  

Relations  with  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  have  evolved,  with  rare  but  occasional,  bilateral 
meetings.  The  Prime  Minister  visited  Sarajevo  in  December  2024,  and  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina’s  foreign  minister  visited  Pristina  in  May  2025.  Even  though  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina  has  not  ratified  the  Agreement  on  Freedom  of  Movement  with  Identity  Cards 
under  the  Berlin  Process,  Kosovo  unilaterally  abolished  the  visa  requirement  for  ID-card 
holders from Bosnia and Herzegovina on 1 January 2025. 

Kosovo continued to maintain good relations with Türkiye, including in the political, defence, 
economic and cultural sectors. In December 2024, Kosovo’s PM has signed an agreement 
with  Türkiye's  state-owned  defence  manufacturer,  Machinery  and  Chemical  Industry  Co. 
(MKE), to establish an ammunition factory in Kosovo. 

Georgia,  Moldova  and  Ukraine  have  no  formal  relations  with  Kosovo,  as  they  do  not 
recognise  Kosovo’s  independence.  Serbia  and  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  have  also  not 
recognised Kosovo, but they interact as part of regional cooperation. 

4. NORMALISATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN KOSOVO AND SERBIA 

The  EU-facilitated  Dialogue  on  normalisation  of 
relations  between  Kosovo  and 
Serbia continued in the reporting period with regular Dialogue meetings on the level of Chief 
Negotiators.  

Both  Kosovo  and  Serbia  are  expected  to  implement all  of their  respective  obligations 
stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex, 
as  well  as  all  past  Dialogue  agreements,  in  line  with  the  official  recommitment  made  in 
September  and  October  2024 
the  establishment  of 
respectively.  This 
the Association/Community  of  Serb Majority  Municipalities (A/CSM).  Kosovo is  expected to 
start the  process  leading  its  establishment,  while Serbia  is  expected  to  start  delivering  on 
its obligations  from  the  Agreement  in  parallel  by  initiating  the  recognition  of  Kosovo’s 
documents, symbols  and  institutions.  The  Agreement  is  valid  and  legally  binding  for  the 
parties  and  any  formalities,  including  related  to  its  adoption  or  “formalisation”,  should  not 
stand  in  the  way  of making  progress  in  its  implementation.  The  constructiveness  of  the 
Parties  will  be  assessed  based solely  on 
implementation  performance. 
Normalisation  of  relations and  implementing  their  Dialogue  commitments remain essential 
conditions on the European path of both Parties and both risk losing important opportunities 
in the absence of progress. 

their  own 

includes 

In  January  2025,  the  Council  appointed Peter  Sørensen  as  EU  Special  Representative  for 
the  Belgrade-Pristina  Dialogue, to  assist  High-Representative/Vice-President  in  taking 
forward the normalisation talks. 

60 

 
 
  
in 

During the reporting period, the situation in the north of Kosovo remained calm but fragile. In 
November  2024,  an  attack on the Ibër-Lepenc/Ibar-Lepenac canal 
the  north  of 
Kosovo took  place for  which  perpetrators still have  to  be  apprehended  and  brought  to 
justice. In  summer  2025,  a series  of  arrests  by  both  Kosovo  and  Serbia,  including  the 
Assistant Director of the Serbian Office for Kosovo Igor Popović (later released), temporarily 
negatively affected the normalisation process. In this context, Serbia is expected to comply 
with the 2015 Justice Agreement stipulating that criminal proceedings for offences in Kosovo 
are to take place in principle in front of Kosovo courts, notably in the case of arrest of Arbnor 
Spahiu. Kosovo  repeatedly conducted  activities  contrary  to  its  obligations  under  the 
Dialogue, including police operations against Serbia-supported structures and services in the 
north.  Kosovo  also arrested and  immediately  deported Kosovo  citizens  working  for  Serbian 
security  structures and  constructed  two new bridges  in  Mitrovica  in  the  vicinity  of  the  main 
bridge.  These actions are not  in  line  with  the  spirit  of  normalisation. The  EU  expressed 
concerns  about  the recurrent  lack  of  coordination  by  Kosovo  and  the  negative  impact 
on local  communities and  their  access  to  basic  public  and  social  services, while  reiterating 
that  the  actions undermine  efforts  towards  sustained  de-escalation –  most  recently  in  its 
statement of 16 May 2025. Serbia repeatedly conducted activities contrary to its obligations 
under  the  Agreement  on  the  Path  to  Normalisation  by  lobbying  against  Kosovo’s 
membership  in  international  organisations. The  normalisation  process  continues  to  be 
impacted  by  insufficient  steps  by  Serbia  to  ensure accountability  for  the  violent  attack  by 
in 
armed Kosovo  Serb  assailants  against  Kosovo  Police  on 24  September  2023 
Banjska/Banjskë, which constituted the gravest escalation in recent years. 

When it comes to the state of play on implementation of all Dialogue agreements: 

-  The  withdrawal  of  Kosovo  Serbs  from  Kosovo  institutions  in  November  2022  and 
the boycott  of  local  elections  in  the  north  of  Kosovo  in  April  2023  violate  Serbia’s 
Dialogue obligations and they constitute severe backsliding in Serbia’s compliance with 
the  April  2013 “First agreement  of  principles  governing  the  normalisation  of  relations” 
and  direct  violation  of  the  Justice  Agreement  of  2015. At  the  time  of  reporting,  both 
Parties  are  not  complying  with  the  2013  “First  agreement  of  principles  governing  the 
normalisation  of  relations  and  the  2015  Justice  Agreement. The EU  welcomed  the 
participation  of  Kosovo  Serbs  in  the  parliamentary  elections  on  9  February  2025  and 
local  elections  in  Kosovo  on  12  October  2025  as  a  first  step  towards  return  of  Kosovo 
Serbs  to  Kosovo  institutions. The EU  recalls  that  the return  of  Kosovo  Serb  officials  to 
Kosovo institutions, 
to  be  done in 
accordance  with  past  Dialogue  agreements  and with  full  respect  for  Kosovo’s  legal 
framework. 

law  enforcement, has 

judiciary  and 

including 

-  There  has  been  no 

the 

implementation  of 

further  progress  on 

the  August 
2015 Agreement, which laid down the principles for establishing the A/CSM. Kosovo and 
Serbia are urged to engage constructively on the establishment of the A/CSM based on 
the  European  Draft  Statute  presented  to  the  Parties  in  October  2023 with  no  further 
delay. This obligation forms a part of the implementation of the Agreement on the Path to 
Normalisation of Relations, which the Parties are expected to advance on, as recalled by 
the  European  Council  in  October  2023.  The status of Serbia-supported  structures and 
services in  Kosovo  needs  to  be  addressed in  line  with  agreements  reached  in  the  EU-
facilitated Dialogue and Kosovo law and not through uncoordinated measures. 

-  The  works  on  the Austerlitz bridge in  Mitrovica,  as  well  as  additional  assessments  and 
consultations have  been  completed. The  position  of  the  EU  remains  that the  bridge 
should be opened. The opening has to be coordinated with security partners. 

-  The  implementation  of  the  2013  and  2015  Energy  agreements  and  2022  Energy 
Roadmap  continued.   Serbia  is  encouraged to allocate  cross-border  capacities  to 
Kosovo and fulfil its longstanding obligation under the Energy Community Treaty. 

61 

 
 
the  continued 

-  As  regards  the  technical  Dialogue  agreements  (2011-2012), some are  not  or  only 
partially implemented. Until sustainable solutions are found, both Parties need to remain 
committed to 
the  Arrangements  on  Regional 
Representation  and Cooperation,  which  enables  Kosovo’s  participation  in  regional 
forums.  Neither  Party  should block  the  work  of  regional  forums  over  bilateral  disputes. 
The  implementation  of  the Agreements  on  cadastre  and  acceptance  of  university 
diplomas  agreements  is  still  pending due to  non-implementation  by  Serbia.  Serbia  also 
has yet to address the issue of re-located Serbian administrative customs structures with 
Kosovo denomination that operate from within Serbia. 

implementation  of 

-  On  IBM,  the  Interim  Common  Crossing-Points  (CCPs)  between  Kosovo  and  Serbia 
continue to be operational. Only two of the six permanent CCPs have been established 
(Merdare  and Mutivodë/Mutivode).  Serbia  still  has  not  established  permanent  CCPs  to 
be  hosted  by  their side  (Jarinje/Rudnica,  Končulj/Dheu  i  Bardhë  and  Depce/Muçibabë), 
which  led  to  a suspension  of  EU  funds  for  this  project  in  July  2018.  In  addition,  Serbia 
needs  to  engage  constructively  to  enable  the  construction  of  the  third  CCP  hosted  by 
Kosovo in the north of Kosovo at Tabavije/Bërnjak-Tabalije/Brnjak. Additional efforts are 
required  from  Serbia  to  close  illegal  roads  and  bypasses  to ensure  exclusive  use  of 
official  crossing  points  for goods  and  persons  entering  into  or  leaving  Kosovo. While  a 
first  discussion  on  harmonisation  of  phytosanitary  and  veterinary  certificates  took  place 
at  technical  level  on 23 April 2025, Serbia  should  allow  the  resumption  of the  EU-
facilitated joint IBM meetings at all levels (local, regional and central). 

-  On  freedom  of  movement,  the EU  welcomes  the  phasing  out  of  plates  with  Kosovo 
cities’ denomination issued by Serbia and the mutual recognition of licence plates, which 
took place in December 2023 and January 2024. The full implementation of the Freedom 
of Movement  agreements  still  requires  additional  steps. In  this  context, Kosovo  is 
encouraged to offer an effective registration process to all citizens for obtaining personal 
documents and Kosovo licence plates. 

-  Both  Parties  need  to 

its 
hitherto successful  implementation  at risk  in any way.  The  Parties are  also expected to 
engage  constructively  and  find  through  the  Dialogue  sustainable  solutions  to  the 
remaining issues such as frequency harmonisation and postal services. 

fully  respect  the  Telecoms  Agreement  and  not  put 

-  The processing of mutual legal assistance (MLA) requests has been stopped by Serbia. 
Serbia  needs  to resume  the MLA processing  immediately in  line  with  established  and 
previously respected practice and address also pending requests. Judicial cooperation in 
criminal matters and civil cases is covered by MLA and not police cooperation.   

preconditions. Almost no 

-  Both  Parties  need  to  respect  the  Arrangements  for  Official  Visits in  good  faith  and 
without 
reporting 
period. Both Kosovo  and  Serbia  need  to  allow  the  visits  of  their  respective  Chief 
Negotiator, other government officials and religious authorities when they are announced 
and  conducted  in  line  with  the  Arrangements, which  has  not  always  been  the 
case. Official visitors are expected to refrain from divisive statements or behaviour. 

during 

place 

visits 

took 

the 

-  Limited progress  has  been  made  in  the  implementation  of  the  political  Declaration  on 
Missing Persons  adopted  in  May  2023 with  the  17  December  2024  agreement  on  the 
Terms of Reference for the Joint Commission to be established as per the Declaration. 
The  Parties  are  encouraged  to  refrain  from  politisation  of  this humanitarian  issue  and 
start  implementing  the  Declaration  immediately  by holding  a  first  meeting  of  the  Joint 
Commission. 

Overall,  Kosovo  and  Serbia  have  participated  in  the  Dialogue,  but  they  need  to 
demonstrate more  serious  and  constructive  commitment  to  advance  the  normalisation 
process. Moving forward, Kosovo and Serbia also need to make further substantial efforts to 

62 

 
 
avoid  actions  that undermine  stability  and  rhetoric  that  is  not  conducive  to  dialogue  and 
reconciliation. 

5. EUROPEAN STANDARDS 

CLUSTER 2: INTERNAL MARKET 

This  cluster  covers:  the  free  movement  of  goods  (Chapter  1);  freedom  of  movement  for 
workers (Chapter 2); right of establishment and freedom to provide services (Chapter 3); free 
movement  of  capital  (Chapter  4);  company  law  (Chapter  6);  intellectual  property  law 
(Chapter  7);  competition  policy  (Chapter  8);  financial  services  (Chapter  9),  and  consumer 
and health protection (Chapter 28). 

Chapter 1 – Free movement of goods 

The  free  movement  of  goods  ensures  that  many  products  can  be  traded  freely  across  the 
EU  based  on  common  rules  and  procedures.  Where  products  are  governed  by  national 
rules,  the  principle  of  the  free  movement  of  goods  prevents  these  rules  from  creating 
unjustified barriers to trade. 

General principles  

Regarding the general principles, there was no progress to align with the New Legislative 
Framework  in  the  areas  of,  market  surveillance  and  compliance  of  products  and  mutual 
recognition of goods. 

Non-harmonised areas  

The  screening  of  Kosovo’s  legislation  to  eliminate  trade  barriers  and  to  ensure  alignment 
with the obligations under Articles 34-36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union (TFEU) continues to progress slowly due to limited capacity and human resources.  

Harmonised area: quality infrastructure 

(CEN)/European  Committee 

The Standardisation Agency is still not able to become a full member of the Committee for 
for  Electro-technical  Standardisation 
Standardisation 
(CENELEC))  due  to  the  status  of  Kosovo.  Its  online  e-standard  system  remains  partly 
compatible with that of CEN/CENELEC; alternative solutions are needed to adopt standards 
more  quickly.  A  new  Regulation  on  internal  organisation  and  systematisation  of  jobs  has 
been  adopted.  The  Accreditation  Directorate  of  Kosovo  (DAK)  has  not  yet  signed  a 
European  Accreditation  Multilateral  Agreement  (EAMLA).  The  number  of  conformity 
assessment bodies in Kosovo has increased to 73. 

The  newly  adopted  Law  on  the  Central  Inspectorate  of  Market  Surveillance  is  currently 
under Constitutional Court review on procedural grounds. During the reporting period, 4742 
market surveillance inspections were carried out, leading to 559 fines, and 136 cases were 
sent to the court. The Metrology Agency is not yet an associated member of the European 
Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET). The standardisation, accreditation, 
metrology and market surveillance bodies still have insufficient capacity and staffing.   

Harmonised area: sectoral legislation 

There  was  no  progress  on  alignment  with  the  EU  ‘new  and  global  approach’  product 
acquis.  There  was  also  no  progress  on  alignment  with  the  EU  ‘old  approach’  product 
acquis,  including  on  vehicles,  REACH  and  chemical  labelling  (CLP),  or  on  procedural 
measures.  Sufficient  staffing  to  implement  the  EU  acquis  in  these  areas  needs  to  be 
ensured. 

63 

 
 
  
Chapter 2 – Freedom of movement for workers 

Citizens of one EU Member State have the right to work in another Member State and must 
be given the same working and social conditions as other workers. 

Regarding  access  to  the  labour  market,  there  were  no  legislative  developments  in  the 
reporting  period.  Kosovo’s  legislation remains  not  aligned  with the  EU  acquis  on  access to 
the labour market. Work permits are still required for EU nationals and their family members 
to be eligible to work in Kosovo. Kosovo’s Employment Agency issued 193 short-term work 
permits  in  2024,  of  which  53%  (102)  were  for  EU  nationals.  There  are  no  quotas  for  such 
permits. EU citizens do not have access to public posts. 

There has been no progress on preparatory work for participating in the European network 
of employment services (EURES). 

On  the  coordination  of  social  security  systems,  one  new  agreement  was  signed  with 
Croatia. The negotiations on two other agreements (with Austria and Türkiye) were finalised, 
and  are  awaiting  signature  by  the  government,  and  ratification  by  the  Assembly. 
Negotiations on a similar agreement are ongoing with Slovenia.  

There was no progress on the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) over the reporting 
period. 

Chapter 3 – Right of establishment and freedom to provide services 

EU  natural  and  legal  persons  have  the  right  to  establish  themselves  in  any  Member  State 
and  to  provide  cross-border  services.  For  certain  regulated  professions,  there  are rules  on 
mutual  recognition  of  qualifications.  EU  rules  on  postal  services  focus  on  improving  the 
quality of universal service, gradual market opening to competition, and the establishment of 
an independent regulator. 

On the right of establishment and freedom to provide services, Kosovo remains partially 
aligned with the EU acquis on services. The implementation of the action plan to align with 
the Directive on services in the Internal Market (2024-2026) is progressing slowly, due to a 
persistent lack of administrative capacities within the Ministry for Industry, Entrepreneurship 
and Trade, and insufficient inter-institutional coordination. 

Further efforts are needed to transform the point of single contact (PSC) into a user-friendly 
online  service  delivery  point.  The  number  of  professions  registered  therein  has  slightly 
increased. Kosovo has yet to ratify the CEFTA Additional Protocol 6 on trade in services. 

On  postal  services,  Kosovo’s  postal  market  has  been  opened  to  competition  and  the 
legislation  is  compliant  with  the  Postal  Services  Directive.  Kosovo  still  needs  to  align  its 
legislation  with  the  Regulation  on  cross-border  parcel  delivery  services.  There  is  one 
universal  service provider  and 29  other  operators  active  in the  postal market.  The  national 
regulatory  authority  needs  to  be  strengthened  to  monitor  and  enforce  the  new  rules  in  the 
postal market.  

Some progress has been made in the area of regulated professions. A concept document 
for a draft law on the recognition of professional qualifications is pending submission to 
the  government  for  approval.  Additionally,  a  new  act  that  defines  minimum  training 
requirements for professions benefiting from automatic recognition is also under preparation. 
Universities  that  award  qualifications  for  these  seven  sectoral  professions  have  approved 
revisions to their training programs, and some have started aligning these programs with the 
Directive  on  the  recognition  of  professional  qualifications.  Existing  laws  regulating  these 
professions have been reviewed for compliance with the EU acquis with the help of technical 
assistance, and a List of Regulated Professions has been published. However, the Division 
for Regulated Professions within the Ministry of Education remains understaffed and needs 
strengthening, along with other ministries that serve as competent authorities.   

64 

 
 
Chapter 4 – Free movement of capital 

In the  EU,  capital  and  investment  must  be  able  to  move  without  restrictions,  with  common 
rules for cross-border payments. Banks and other economic operators apply certain rules to 
support the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. 

The area of capital movements is largely liberalised and aims to align with the EU acquis. 
Although Kosovo has enacted a regulation on foreign exchange risks, it sets out maximum 
limits of net open foreign currency position for banks as a percentage of their capital. These 
limits constitute restrictions to the free movement of capital.  

Kosovo  made  good  progress  in  the  area  of  payments.  In  December  2024,  the  Law  on 
payment  services  was  adopted,  aiming  to  align  further  with  the  EU  Payment  Services 
Directive  (PSD2),  but  its  enforcement  is  pending  due  to  an  ongoing  review  by  the 
Constitutional  Court  on procedural  grounds. On 24  May  2025,  the  Central  Bank  of  Kosovo 
joined the  European  Automated  Clearing  House Association (EACHA)  to  share experience 
related to instant payment solutions. 

While cash payments continue to dominate the economy, good progress has been made in 
increasing  electronic  payments  by  9.5%,  and payment  transactions  by 16.3%  during  2024. 
There was also an increase in the number of licensed financial institutions in 2024, primarily 
in  the  northern  municipalities  of  Kosovo,  which  has  expanded  the  coverage  of  payment 
services and promoted financial inclusion for underserved customers. 

In  December  2024,  Kosovo  adopted  a  new  Law  on  anti-money  laundering  and 
combating terrorist financing (AML/CFT), aiming for further alignment with the fourth and 
fifth  Anti-Money  Laundering  Directives.  However,  this  Law  is  also  awaiting  review  by  the 
Constitutional Court on procedural grounds. Following the Constitutional Court’s decision in 
June 2024, which declared the Law on the State Bureau for Verification and Confiscation of 
Unjustified  Assets  unconstitutional,  an  amended  version  of  this  Law  was  adopted  by  the 
Assembly in December 2024 but was again challenged in the Constitutional Court. Once the 
Law takes effect, additional measures will be necessary for implementation and procedures 
for cooperation with the State Bureau and other relevant institutions.  

A new Law on the Register of Beneficial Owners came into force in December 2024 and is 
pending  implementation.  It  aims  to  enhance  transparency  of  ownership  and  control,  by 
introducing  the  Central  Register  of  Beneficial  Owners.  Additionally,  the  adopted  Law  on 
Crypto  Assets  aims  to  partially  align  with  the  EU  acquis  on  AML/CFT.  Kosovo  should 
develop secondary legislation for effective implementation. 

Supervisory  capabilities  in  the  fight  against  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing  have 
improved.  The  Central  Bank  shifted  from  a  rule-based  to  the  risk-based  supervision 
framework  by  adopting  a  manual  on  risk-based  supervision  for  the  prevention  of  money 
laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, as required by international and FATF 
standards. In March 2025, the Interagency Working Group on National Risk Assessment and 
Management  completed  the  national  risk  assessment  on  money  laundering  and  terrorist 
financing.   

In  2024,  Kosovo  received  886  suspicious  transaction  reports,  similar  to  the  888  reports 
received in 2023. Kosovo still needs to strengthen  inter-institutional cooperation to address 
these  issues  effectively  (on  AML/CFT  see  also  under  chapter  24  -  Justice,  freedom  and 
security). 

Chapter 6 – Company law 

The  EU  has  common  rules  on  the  formation,  registration  and  disclosure  requirements  of  a 
company,  with  complementary  rules  for  accounting  and  financial  reporting,  and  statutory 
audit. 

65 

 
 
On company law and corporate governance, Kosovo’s legislation is partially aligned with 
the  EU  acquis.  The  draft  Law  on  business  organisations  has  been  finalised  and  has 
completed  public  consultation.  However,  it  still  requires  approval  from  the  government  and 
adoption  by  the  Assembly.  This  law  should  regulate  specific  fields  required  by  the  EU 
company  law  acquis,  that  are  still  missing  in  Kosovo’s  legislation,  such  as  the  minimum 
capital  requirement,  shareholders’  rights  (including  the  encouragement  of  long-term 
shareholder  engagement),  company  takeover  bids  and  the  disclosure  of  information  about 
companies and their branches. In addition, the law should comply with the Directive on the 
use of digital tools and the Directive on cross-border operations, including mergers, divisions 
and conversions.  

The  Kosovo  Business  Registration  Agency  needs  to  improve  its  technical  infrastructure, 
specifically  its  database,  and  implement  concrete  plans  to  connect  with  the  Business 
Register  Interconnection  System  (BRIS)  by  the  time  of  EU  accession.  Since  June  2025,  it 
has  been  possible  to  submit  company  registration  applications  online  via  the  e-Kosova 
platform,  and  the  business  register  has  introduced  the  option  of  issuing  registration 
certificates  digitally,  bearing  an  official  electronic  seal  and  signature.  Further  efforts  to 
digitalise the registration process are ongoing.  

On company reporting, Kosovo’s legislation is only partially aligned with the EU acquis. In 
December  2024,  Kosovo  adopted  amendments  to  the  Law  on  Accounting,  Financial 
Reporting and Audit, but these amendments are currently under review by the Constitutional 
Court  due  to  procedural  concerns,  along  with  other  legislation.  The  existing  Law  requires 
that  information,  including  financial  statements,  be  disclosed  by  both  the  Business 
Registration Agency and the Kosovo Council for Financial Reporting. Over the past year, the 
Kosovo  Council  for  Financial  Reporting  has  resumed  its  reporting  activities  and  the 
publication of accounting documents. However, the mandates of the Council and its bodies –
which  include  the  Public  Audit  Oversight  Board,  the  Investigation  and  Disciplinary 
Committee, the Licensing Committee and the Accounting and Auditing Standards Committee 
--  expired  in  December  2024.  Additionally,  current  reporting  requirements  do  not  mandate 
the  publication  of  companies  in  specific  legal  situations,  such  as  those  under  insolvency 
proceedings.  There  is  still  no  legal  obligation  to  publish  financial  statements  and  audit 
reports for public and private limited liability companies in the business register. 

Statutory  audits  in  Kosovo  comply  with  international  standards,  however  reporting 
requirements for large companies are not enforced.  

Chapter 7 – Intellectual property law 

The EU has to a large extent harmonised rules for the legal protection and enforcement of 
intellectual  property  rights  (IPR),  covering  notably  patents,  biotechnological  inventions  and 
pharmaceuticals,  including  supplementary  protection  certificates  (SPCs),  trade  marks, 
designs,  geographical  indications  (GIs),  including  craft  and  industrial  GIs,  as  well  as 
copyright and related rights. 

The  new  Law  on  copyright  and  related  rights  entered  into  force  in  October  2023  and 
Kosovo  started  adopting  key  sub-legal  acts,  including  a  Regulation  on  procedures  for 
granting and revoking licences of collective management organisations and a Regulation on 
the procedure and selection of mediators in copyright matters. Despite legislation seeming to 
be  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis,  practical  implementation  poses  challenges, 
particularly  regarding  enforcement  mechanisms  and  institutional  capacity.  The  Office  for 
Copyright  and  Related  Rights  continues  operating  with  just  one  staff  member,  highlighting 
the  urgent  need  for  additional  resources  to  ensure  effective  implementation.  Moreover,  a 
collective management organisation (CMO) for literary and visual rights holders has yet to be 
established. 

During the reporting period, enforcement institutions and police forces seized at least 3 275 
pirated goods and copyright-infringing materials.  

66 

 
 
In  the  field  of  industrial  property  rights,  the  Industrial  Property  Agency  remains 
understaffed,  despite  reforms  to  its  internal  structure,  and  progress  in  digitalisation  of 
services,  starting  to  improve  online  registers.  Although  there  are  laws  governing  patents, 
trademarks,  designs,  trade  secrets,  and  topographies  of  semiconductor  products,  the 
Agency still lacks a comprehensive strategy for industrial property. Kosovo’s new Industrial 
Property Programme for 2025-2027 aims to strengthen the system in line with international 
best  practices,  promote economic  growth  along  with  social  and  technological  development 
and combat counterfeiting. 

In 2024, the Agency received 2 171 applications for trademark protection, 11 for patents and 
65  for  industrial  designs.  It  registered  2 188  trademarks,  three  patents  and  40  industrial 
designs.  Additionally,  the  Agency  issued  8 716  official  documents,  resolved  323  trademark 
oppositions, and published eight Official Bulletins listing 4 397 industrial property objects.  

Some enforcement actions have been carried out, however, the State Intellectual Property 
Council  and  the  Task  Force  against  Piracy  remain  under-resourced  and  lack  effective 
coordination  tools,  such  as  an  integrated  e-platform.  Lengthy  procedures  and  weak 
sanctions continue to hinder IPR enforcement. Kosovo Customs has reported again multiple 
large-scale seizures this year.  

While  the  Commercial  Court  handles  IPR-related  cases  efficiently,  collaboration  with  the 
European  Union  Intellectual  Property  Office  (EUIPO)  remains  limited,  hindering  access  to 
necessary support and resources. 

Copyright  infringement  remains  a  concern,  especially  in  the  publishing  and  education 
sectors,  as  shown  by  the  Anti-Piracy  Task  Force’s  seizure  of  approximately  3 000  school 
and academic books in September 2024 and its continued actions in 2025. The capacities of 
enforcement bodies remain limited, and coordination gaps persist, underscoring the need for 
stronger policies and institutional support for authors and creators. 

Collaboration  with  the  EU,  EFTA,  and  the  U.S.  Department  of  Commerce  highlights 
Kosovo's  efforts  to  align  its  IPR  framework  with international  standards and  best  practices. 
Engaging  in  discussions  about  effective IPR  enforcement  and cross-sector  collaboration  is 
crucial for addressing challenges related to piracy and counterfeiting. 

Chapter 8 – Competition policy 

EU  rules  protect  free  competition.  These  include  antitrust  rules  against  restrictive 
agreements between companies and abuse of dominant position and also include rules on 
concentrations  between  companies  which  would  significantly  impede  effective  competition. 
EU rules also set out a system of State aid control. Governments are only allowed to grant 
State aid if restrictive conditions are met, with a view to preventing distortion of competition. 

Antitrust and mergers 

The legislative framework on antitrust and mergers is partially aligned with the EU acquis, 
but no progress has been made in further alignment. 

On  the  institutional  framework,  the  Kosovo  Competition  Authority  (KCA)  implements  the 
legal  framework  and  the  Kosovo  Competition  Commission  (KCC)  acts  as  the  decision-
making body.  

On  the  capacity  to  enforce  competition,  the  KCC  was  fully  functional  in  2024,  but  one 
member  resigned  in  February  2025  after  his  election  to  the  Assembly.  The  KCA  needs 
additional  staff  to  cope  with  the  growing  workload  and  requested  approval  for  11  new 
positions. 

Institutional  collaboration  with  the  Procurement  Review  Body  has  improved,  but  the  KCA 
faced  challenges  from  the  public  and  media  during  its  study  on  bid-rigging  in  public 
procurement.  

67 

 
 
On  implementation,  by  April  2025,  the  KCA  had  issued  36  decisions  on  prohibited 
agreements,  dominant  market  positions  and  mergers 
such  as 
telecommunications,  steel  processing,  cement,  essential  products  and  energy  and  two 
professional opinions. The KCA faced significant pressure from the media, public institutions 
and  the  public  regarding  its  investigations,  particularly those related  to  bid-rigging  in public 
procurement, high prices for essential goods and market concentration.  

sectors 

in 

Progress  was made in  enforcing competition rules  by  imposing fines  or remedies following 
decisions taken by the KCA, albeit to a limited extent. Case numbers remain low, no dawn 
raids  were  carried  out,  and  the  leniency  programme  was  not  utilised.  Training  for  Kosovo 
judges and prosecutors by the KCA on key aspects of competition law was discontinued due 
to  a  lack  of  specific  expertise  within  the  KCA.  However,  the  KCA  conducted  awareness-
raising and advocacy efforts for judges in the field of competition law. 

State aid  

The legislative framework on State aid remains broadly aligned with the EU acquis, but no 
progress  was  made  in  view  of  further  amending  the  legislative  framework  during  the 
reporting period to reflect recent changes at EU level. The draft Law on State aid, and other 
significant by-laws related to horizontal aid, including block exemptions, services of general 
economic interest (SGEI) and regional aid, have not yet been adopted.  

On  the  institutional  framework,  there  has  been  no  progress  in  addressing  the  expired 
mandate  of  the  State  Aid  Commission,  and  the  government  has  not  established  a  new 
Commission.  As  a result,  State  aid control  remains on  hold.  The State  Aid Department,  as 
part of the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers, is responsible for assessing State aid 
proposals,  drafting  reports  for  the  State  Aid  Commission,  and  updating  the  State  aid 
inventory. All management positions within the Department have been filled, and recruitment 
for 10 additional staff positions is yet to be conducted, pending the establishment of a new 
government.  

On  implementation,  without  a  functioning  State  Aid  Commission,  no  decisions  could  be 
made during the reporting period. For the third consecutive year, annual reports on State aid 
have not been submitted to the Assembly for adoption. The State Aid Department re-started 
the training of local and regional State aid providers during spring 2025.  

Liberalisation   

Public  undertakings  in Kosovo are subject to  both the  Law  on competition  and the  Law  on 
State aid. Kosovo does have commercial monopolies in accordance with Article 37 TFEU. In 
addition  to  providing  information  to  aid-granting  institutions  at  central  and  local  levels, 
awareness  of  the  need  to  apply  State  aid  rules  should  also  be  raised  with  regard  to  the 
activities of publicly owned enterprises. 

Chapter 9 – Financial services 

EU  rules aim  at  ensuring fair  competition  among financial  institutions,  and  the  stability  and 
integrity  of  financial  markets,  namely  in  the  field  of  banking,  insurance,  supplementary 
pensions, investment services and securities. They include rules on authorisation, operation 
and supervision of these institutions. 

On  banks  and  financial  conglomerates,  Kosovo  amended  the  Law  on  banks,  aiming  to 
further  align  its  legal  framework  with  the  acquis  on  capital  requirements  and  on  the  bank 
recovery  and  resolution  framework.  However,  the  Law  on  banks  was  challenged  at  the 
Constitutional  Court  and  is  pending  a  Court’s  review.  Most  of  the  provisions  in  relation  to 
capital and liquidity are now based on EU legislation. 6. The CBK adopted a new regulation 
that sets macroprudential capital buffer requirements for banks in Kosovo to ensure financial 
stability and contain systemic risks. It also adopted a roadmap for the implementation of the 
Supervisory  Review  and  Evaluation  Process  (SREP),  based  on  the  European  Banking 

68 

 
 
Authority’s  (EBA)  norms  and  new  guidelines.  Institutional  capacity,  data  collection  and 
technological tools need to be enhanced to effectively implement SREP. The financial sector 
remains resilient with high capitalisation levels of the predominantly foreign-owned banking 
sector.  Although  credit  risk  remains  contained,  risks  exist  as  a  result  of  rapid  credit 
expansion  in  the  household  segment.  As  regards  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  on  bank 
recovery  and  resolution,  the  amended  Law  on  banks  introduces  the  so-called  Official 
administration  process  which  provides  for  the  power  of  the  CBK  to  appoint  an  Official 
administrator.  A  fully-fledged  recovery  and  resolution  framework,  including  a  functioning 
resolution  authority  and  a  resolution  fund,  is  yet  to  be  established.    Whereas  the  Kosovo 
Deposit Insurance Fund has increased its available financial means and the target fund ratio, 
Kosovo should further align with the EU Deposit Guarantee Scheme Directive. 

Regarding  insurance  and  occupational  pensions,  there  was  no  progress  in  liberalising 
prices  or  aligning  Motor  Third  Party  Liabilities  tariffs  based  on  risk  assessments.  Due  to 
status  issues,  Kosovo remains outside  the  green  card  system.  During  the reporting  period, 
there was no progress or development in relation to occupational pensions.  

Securities  markets  and  investment  services  are  still  in  their  early  stages,  as  are  most 
activity  centres  on  the  market  for  government  bonds,  auctioned  by  the  CBK.  Kosovo’s 
financial  market  infrastructure  is  not  in  line  with the  EU  acquis  and  no  progress  was made 
over the reporting period. 

On  sustainable  and  digital  finance,  the  CBK  approved  a  roadmap  for  managing  and 
overseeing  climate  and  environmental  risks  in  the  financial  sector.  The  Kosovo  Credit 
Guarantee  Fund  can  guarantee  up  to  80%  of  loan  portfolios  of  financial  institutions  to 
MSMEs in areas such as energy efficiency and sustainable agriculture. So far, the Fund has 
issued  EUR 414 million  in  guarantees  and  EUR  799  million  in  guaranteed  loans.  Kosovo 
should  continue  efforts  to  align  its  legislative  framework  with  the  EU  acquis  on  digital 
finance. 

Chapter 28 – Consumer and health protection 

EU  rules  protect  consumers’  economic  interests  also  ensure  product  safety,  prevent 
dangerous imitations and establish liability for defective products. The EU also guarantees a 
high  level  of  protection  of  public  health  and  in  particular  also  ensures  high  common 
standards  for  tobacco  control,  blood,  tissues,  cells  and  organ,  and  human  and  veterinary  
medicinal  products  The  EU  also  has  rules  for  upholding  patients’  rights  in  cross-border 
healthcare  and  in  preparing  for  and  responding  to  serious  cross-border  health  threats, 
including communicable diseases. 

Consumer protection 

On  horizonal  aspects,  the  new  consumer  protection  law  was  adopted  in  the  Assembly  but 
returned  by  the  President  for  reconsideration.  Enforcement  of  consumer  rights  and  private 
sector remains limited. The administrative capacities in the area of market surveillance and 
product safety need to be further strengthened (see also Chapter 1 on market surveillance). 
Kosovo is yet to align with the new acquis on general product safety, and there is no rapid 
alert system in place for safety-related information concerning consumer products. On non-
safety issues, the weakness of consumer rights organisations remains a challenge. 

Public health  

On public health policy, Kosovo adopted its 2025-2030 Health Sector Strategy, relevant by-
laws,  administrative  instructions  and  clinical  protocols.  However,  the  implementation  of  the 
initiated reforms in the health sector has been slow, and the quality of healthcare remains a 
concern. Health expenditure, as part of the overall GDP, remains low compared to regional 
counterparts and significantly lower than the EU average, yet even allocated health funding 
is  not  fully  used.  Out-of-pocket  expenditures  are  estimated  to  be  around  40%.  Despite 

69 

 
 
improvements,  life  expectancy  at  birth  remains  lower  than  the  EU  average.  Child  mortality 
declined but remains the highest in the region and significantly higher than the EU average.  

Kosovo  made  very  limited  progress  towards  achieving  Universal  Health  Coverage  (UHC). 
There is still a lack of strategic purchasing resulting in significant inefficiencies in the health 
system.  

Work  on  Kosovo’s  e-Health  information  system  is  ongoing.  The  Ministry  of  Health  has 
developed  a  new  digital  health  governing  structure  and  has  adopted  a  Digital  Health 
Blueprint to guide the health information system.  

Non-communicable  diseases  (NCDs)  are  the  leading  cause  of  death,  while  actions  to 
reduce the  NCDs risk factors  are  scarce.  Standardised  clinical  protocols for  the  prevention 
and treatment of NCDs are not available. The Law on tobacco control is still not enforced 
comprehensively.  

Mental health services remain integrated. Kosovo is currently in the process of revising the 
Law on mental health to better align it to the EU acquis. 

While  the  legislation  on  blood,  tissues,  cells  and  organs  is  partly  aligned  with  the  EU 
acquis,  implementation is  hampered  by  a lack of  capacity  and resources.  In 2024,  Kosovo 
established a Division for Biomedicine to advance on this area. 

On  communicable  diseases  and  serious  cross-border  threats  to  health,  Kosovo 
strengthened  its  capacities  by  including  all  74  diseases  as  per  EU  recommendations  and 
adopted  its  first-ever  National  Action  Plan  for  Health  Security.  Routine  immunisation  is 
improving, reaching 89 per cent coverage in 2024; however, coverage remains below 40% 
among Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities. Kosovo achieved 85% coverage for the 
new Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine among the first cohort. 

There has been no progress on alignment on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, 
on  human  and  veterinary  medicinal  products,  which  are  all  partially  aligned  with  the  EU 
acquis,  or  on  health  technology  assessment.  There  were  also  no  developments  on 
reducing  the  harmful  use  of  alcohol,  on  drug  abuse  and  prevention,  or  on  nutrition  and 
physical  activity.  Kosovo  needs  to  implement  stricter  controls  on  prescriptions  of 
antimicrobials for human and veterinary use to bolster its efforts on antimicrobial resistance. 

The cancer screening programme in Kosovo, is not performed systematically. The cancer 
registry is not yet fully functional. The list of essential medicines has been updated. 

Health  inequalities  continue  to  remain  a  serious  concern.  The  financial  burden  has  been 
particularly  difficult  for  the  vulnerable  and  poor  segments  of  society  including  people  with 
chronic  conditions.  Women’s  access  to  healthcare  and  sexual  and  reproductive  health 
(SRH) services is legally recognized in Kosovo. However, challenges remain in ensuring that 
all individuals have equitable access to these services, including children with disabilities. 

On  anti-corruption  with  regard  to  health  protection,  MoH  launched  its  Institutional  Integrity 
Plan with the view of promoting transparency and accountability by ensuring fulfilment of its 
role in protection and improvement of citizens’ health in Kosovo. 

CLUSTER 3: COMPETITIVENESS AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH 

This  cluster  covers:  digital  transformation  and  media  (Chapter  10);  taxation  (Chapter  16); 
economic  and  monetary  policy  (Chapter  17);  social  policy  and  employment  (Chapter  19); 
industrial  policy  (Chapter  20),  science  and  research  (Chapter  25);  education  and  culture 
(Chapter 26); and the customs union (Chapter 29). 

70 

 
 
 
Chapter 10 - Digital transformation and media 

The  EU  supports 
for  electronic 
communications,  electronic  commerce  and  audiovisual  services.  The  rules  protect 
consumers and support the universal availability of modern services. 

internal  market 

functioning  of 

the  smooth 

the 

In  the  area  of  electronic  communications,  107.3%  of  households  had  access  to  the 
internet  in  Q2  2025  (also  possibly  indicating  several  connections  per  household).  Kosovo 
has 100% broadband coverage.  

Challenges  remain  in  developing  high-speed  broadband  infrastructure,  including  limited 
private  sector  investment  capacities,  an  outdated  cable  network.  While  the  legislative 
framework  for  broadband  cost  reduction  is  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  (BCRD  Directive), 
administrative burdens related to construction works persist due to incomplete harmonisation 
of  legacy  legislation.  Kosovo  needs  to  align  with  the  European  Electronic  Communications 
Code,  finalise  the  new  Law  on  electronic  communications,  and  align  with  the  EU  Gigabit 
Infrastructure  Act  (revising  the  Broadband  Cost  Reduction  Directive),  the  EU  Connectivity 
Toolbox and the revised Guidelines on State aid for developing broadband networks.  

The  resources  of  the  Electronic  and  Postal  Communications  Regulatory  Authority  remain 
disproportionally  limited.  Alignment  with  the  Digital  Services  Acts  and  Digital  Markets  Act 
needs to be stepped up. 

Kosovo made some progress  in the  area  of  digital  services  with 230 online  services  now 
available on the e-Kosova platform. Only 10% of public services are available online. Kosovo 
still  needs  to  align  with  the  EU  acquis  on  open  data  and  the  reuse  of  public-sector 
information. Kosovo should also align with the European Interoperability Framework and the 
Interoperable  Europe  Act.  Authorities  need  to  ensure  and  facilitate  equal  access  to  online 
services  for  everyone  and  to  step  up  action  to  align  the  legal  framework  with  the  Digital 
Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA). 

Regarding  digital  trust  and  cybersecurity,  on  the  Law  on  Cybersecurity,  authorities  in 
Kosovo  must  accelerate  efforts  to  transpose  and  implement  the  NIS  2  Directive  by  end  of 
2025.  The  government  has  adopted  8  out  of  14  pieces  of  secondary  legislation  stemming 
from  the  Law  on  cybersecurity.  The  government  needs  to  operationalise  both  the 
Cybersecurity  Agency  and  the  National  Cyber  Security  Council.  A  State  Cybersecurity 
Training Centre has been established and a working group has prepared a list of Operators 
of Essential Services (OES) and Digital Service Providers (DSP) of essential and important 
entities. Authorities also need to develop comprehensive policies to ensure a safer internet 
for children. The upgraded Kosovo Police Cybercrime Directorate is expanding its staff from 
nine  to  24  officers.  Kosovo  needs  to  continue  the  implementation  of  the  EU  5G 
Cybersecurity Toolbox measures. 

Kosovo  should  ensure  alignment  with  the  new  EU  Digital  Identity  Framework.  The 
deployment of the government’s national eID and eWallet is progressing with the launch of 
the piloting phase.  

Kosovo is invited to fully align with the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, ensuring the necessary 
enforcement structures. 

On media, in January 2025 the IMC lost quorum, with the number of members shrinking to 
three.  Overall,  this  hindered  its  decision-making  ability,  including  during  the  electoral 
campaign (See the fundamental rights section in chapter 23). 

Chapter 16 - Taxation 

EU rules on taxation cover value-added tax, excise duties and aspects of corporate taxation. 
They  also  cover  cooperation  between  tax  administrations,  including  the  exchange  of 
information to prevent tax evasion. 

71 

 
 
In  the  area  of  indirect  taxation,  VAT  rates  are  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  During  the 
reporting  period,  TAK  collected  revenues  in  the  amount  of  over  EUR  977  million, 
representing  an  11.6%  increase  compared  to  the  same  period  last  year.  The  tax  debt  in 
arrears  collected  during  the  same  timeframe  amounted  to  EUR  179  million,  or  an  8% 
increase  compared  to  2024.  VAT  refund  applications  were  treated  within  25.4  days  on 
average.  

On administrative cooperation and mutual assistance, due to status issues, Kosovo has 
not  been  able  to  join  the  BEPS  inclusive  framework  or  the  OECD  -Council  of  Europe 
Convention  on  Mutual  administrative  assistance  on  tax  matters.  No  new  double  taxation 
agreements  were  signed.  TAK  made  significant  progress  in  establishing  procedures  and 
drafting transfer pricing rules in compliance with OECD guidelines. TAK should continue to 
build technical and human capacities in the area of transfer pricing aiming at preventing tax 
evasion through profit shifting. TAK should prioritise tackling international tax avoidance and 
evasion  practices  while  building  technical  capacities  to  manage  international  tax  risks. 
Progress  was  made  in  the  implementation  of  modern  Compliance  Risk  Management 
methodologies. No formal tax gap assessment has been performed so far. 

On  operational  capacity  and  digitalisation,  TAK  continued  to  advance  in  service 
digitalisation  and  service  delivery,  particularly  by  stepping  up  the  fight  against  informal 
employment  and  non-declaration  of  taxes.  Joint  teams  with  other  law  enforcement 
institutions in Kosovo in the area of money laundering represent an important step in fighting 
tax evasion crimes. TAK needs to further strengthen professional capacities and improve the 
effectiveness of tax audit functions. The IT infrastructure of the TAK remains outdated. 

Chapter 17 – Economic and monetary policy 

EU rules require the independence of central banks and prohibit them from directly financing 
the public sector. Member States coordinate their economic policies and are subject to fiscal, 
economic and financial surveillance. 

Fiscal  policy  remains  the  main  macroeconomic  policy  instrument,  as  Kosovo  lacks  an 
independent  monetary  policy  and  does  not  have  standard  monetary  policy  tools  at  its 
disposal. Kosovo’s use of the euro as a legal tender is fully distinct from the membership in 
the euro area. 

The  CBK  completed  an  internal  reorganisation  and  strengthened  its  human  resources 
framework to attract and retain talent. An ongoing review will guide amendments to the CBK 
law  with the  aim  of further  strengthening  governance.  A  new  division  for  cybersecurity  has 
been created to strengthen capacities. In April 2025, the CBK approved a new cybersecurity 
strategy for 2025-2028.  

On economic policy, fiscal rules are well-established in legislation and are mostly complied 
with. In the reporting period, the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers, started working 
on a new Budget Framework Law (BFL) to update the fiscal framework in place since 2008. 
Among others, the BFL will modernize fiscal rules, aligning them more closely with the EU’s 
new fiscal governance framework. While the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) is 
comprehensive  and  contains  clear  expenditure  ceilings,  there  is  a  need  to  better  link  the 
annual budgetary process with the medium-term policy. To this end, strong political will and 
interinstitutional  cooperation  are  necessary  to  transform  the  budget  into  a  policy-planning 
tool and strengthen the medium-term budgetary framework. In addition, Kosovo still needs to 
establish  an  independent  fiscal  review  body  and  enhance  budget  oversight.  Efforts  should 
continue  towards  a  complete  set  of  annual  and  quarterly  national  accounts.  (See  also 
chapter 18)  

The  2025-2027  Economic  Reform  Programme  (ERP)  was  submitted  on  time.  The  ERP 
projects  a  robust  acceleration  of  economic  activity  in  2025-2027,  mainly  on  the  back  of 
strong  increases  in  investment  and  private  consumption.  However,  there  are  significant 

72 

 
 
downside  risks  to  this  outlook  notably  linked  to  weaknesses  in  the  public  investment 
management, geopolitical and trade tensions, sluggish economic activity in the main trading 
partners,  and  lower-than-expected  remittances  from  the  diaspora.  The  policy  guidance  set 
out  in  the  conclusions  of  the  Economic  and  Financial  Dialogue  of  May  2024  has  been 
partially implemented. 

Chapter 19 – Social policy and employment 

EU rules in the social field include minimum requirements for labour law, equality and non-
discrimination, and health and safety at work. They also promote social inclusion and social 
protection, and social dialogue at European level. 

On  labour  law,  in  2024,  the  Labour  Inspectorate  introduced  a  pilot  Electronic  Case 
Management  System  to  improve  the  efficiency  of  inspection  procedures.  In  parallel,  the 
Ministry  of  Finance,  Labour,  and  Transfers  launched  an  online  occupational  safety  and 
health  course  on  the  e-Kosova  platform.  During  2024,  the  number  of  reported  non-fatal 
occupational  accidents  rose  to  505,  up  from  319  in  2023.  The  number  of  occupational 
fatalities  decreased  from  11  in  2023  to  seven  in  2024.  A  new  Law  on  compulsory  health 
insurance  was  adopted  through  an  accelerated  procedure  in  December  2024  but  is  under 
Constitutional Court review on procedural grounds. 

Kosovo postponed  again the  adoption  of the  amendments  to the  legislation on  labour  and 
on  health  and  safety  at  work,  which  would  ensure  further  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis. 
The  government  has  however further  increased the minimum  wage from  EUR  264 to EUR 
350.   

Social  dialogue  remains  limited.  The  mandate  of  the  Social  Economic  Council  (SEC) 
expired in 2023, and no new members were appointed. The requirement by authorities that 
trade  unions  representing  the  public  sector  digitalise  the  registration  of  their  members  has 
resulted  in  significantly  lower  membership numbers,  and the  existing  unions  risk  failing  the 
current legal criteria to become SEC members. Trade unions in the private sector are almost 
non-existent. The capacity building of social partners, particularly in the private sector, needs 
to step up. 

On  employment  policy,  Kosovo  has  adopted  a  new  employment  and  labour  market 
strategy for 2024-2028 and its action plan. The overall activity rate stood at 43.2% in 2024, a 
slight  increase  compared  to  2023  (40.7%).  The  huge  gender  gap,  however,  persists  as 
60.6% of those active in the labour market are men and only 25.9% are women. 

Regarding  labour  force participation  and  unemployment  rate,  see  the  statistical  annex  and 
the section on the functioning of the labour market under 2.3. Economic criteria.  

The  piloting  of  the  Youth  Guarantee  Implementation  Plan,  which  was  launched  in  two 
municipalities in May 2024 continued. The government finalised the restructuring plan for the 
Employment  Agency.  The  labour  market  information  system  supporting  evidence-based 
policymaking and planning is outdated and lacks operational capacity in critical areas. 

On  social  protection  and  inclusion,  first  payments  for  social  assistance  scheme  (SAS) 
beneficiaries qualified based on the new criteria started in October 2024, with 4 067 families 
having  benefited  by  31  August  2025.  The  reform  is  expected  to  modernise  the  service 
delivery  systems  into  an  integrated  management  information  system  (IMIS)and  provide 
tailored training  and  other  active  labour  market  programmes.  The  procurement  procedures 
for IMIS are ongoing. To address the insufficient capacities of the centres for social work at 
the  local  level,  a  substantial  number  of  staff  were  recruited  in  the  framework  of  the  SAS 
project  implementation.  As  part  of  the  employment  activation  measures  within  the  project, 
the  employment  services  either  provided  training  to  or  placed  into  employment  100 
beneficiaries  out  of  4  000  participants  identified  as  eligible  to  enter  the  labour  market. 
Matchmaking efforts are ongoing for an additional 1 000 jobs offered by employers who have 
registered with the agency to recruit workforce.  

73 

 
 
Respective  departments  at  the  central  level  (the  Department  for  Social  Services  and  the 
Department  for  Child  Protection)  are  understaffed.  Kosovo  should  continue  its  efforts  to 
ensure equal access of persons with disabilities to institutions, quality services, employment 
and education. Some steps were made in early 2025 with new regulations on status of blind, 
paraplegic  and  tetraplegic  persons.  The  capacity  of  municipalities  concerning  service 
planning  and  delivery,  data  collection,  gender  analysis  and  integrated  care  is  weak.  No 
changes are  registered regarding  the  number  of children involved  in work,  an  issue  that  is 
particularly prevalent among Kosovo Roma and Ashkali communities.  

A national contact point for the European Child Guarantee has been nominated. Children 
with  disabilities  experience  discrimination  in  access  to  quality  preschool  and  other 
educational  institutions  as  well  as  to  health  and  social  services.  Furthermore,  children  in 
vulnerable situations, such as those without parental care, living on the streets and victims of 
violence, or children from marginalised communities, including Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian 
children, encounter barriers in accessing equal opportunities.     

effort 
is 
to  address 

More 
needed 
discrimination 
against  women  in 
employment 
and 
policy, 
social 
particularly 
with 
regard 
hiring 
to 
procedures, 
promotion  and  pay. 
There  are  gaps  in 
implementation 
the 
of 
on 
legislation 
equal  opportunities. 
of 
In 
equality  between  women  and  men  in  employment  and  social  policy,  increasing  the 
availability of affordable child and elderly care services can help boost women’s labour force 
participation.  The  labour  inspectors  and  judges  lack  the  knowledge  to  better  address  the 
issue  of  gender-based  discrimination.  In  the  area  of  non-discrimination  in  employment 
and social policy, Kosovo needs to align with the EU acquis as regards to the Employment 
Equality Directive and the Racial Equality Directive. 

area 

the 

On the preparation for the European Social Fund, Kosovo has concluded the negotiations 
with  the  EU  on  its  participation  in  the  Employment  and  Social  Innovation  Strand  of  the 
European  Social  Fund+.  The  agreement  is  pending  ratification  in the  parliament.  (see  also 
Chapter 22 – Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments). 

Chapter 20 – Enterprise and industrial policy 

industrial  policy  strengthens  competitiveness, 

EU 
facilitates  structural  change  and 
encourages  a  business-friendly  environment  that  stimulates  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs). 

As  regards  enterprise  and  industrial  policy,  Kosovo  has  a  comprehensive  strategy  for 
industrial development and business support 2023-2030 in place. Kosovo needs to dedicate 
additional  resources  and  close  financing  gaps  for  its  successful  implementation  as  the 
implementation rate of planned activities is below 40%, with 28% not implemented at all.  A 
new Law on bankruptcy was adopted in 2024, further aligning the legal framework with the 
EU acquis on insolvency proceedings, preventive restructuring frameworks, the discharge of 
debt  and  disqualifications.  The  law  on  sustainable  investments  entered  into  force  in 
September  2024.  The  adoption of  the  strategy to reduce  the  informal  economy  is  delayed. 

74 

 
 
The  establishment  of  the  beneficial  ownership  register  began  in  August  2025.  The 
government  continued  its  dialogue  with  the  private  sector  through  formal  platforms.  The 
Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade increased support through grants for SMEs 
as part of the implementation of the strategy for industrial development and business support 
2030. 

Concerning policy instruments, the Kosovo Investment and Enterprise Support Agency is 
being transformed into the new Agency for Support to Enterprises and Innovation within the 
Ministry  of  Industry,  Entrepreneurship  and  Trade,  as  per  the  new  Law  on  sustainable 
investments. The establishment of the Agency for Investments and Export is facing delays. 
While  the two  agencies are  expected to play an  important  role in assisting  companies  and 
attracting  FDI,  as  well  as  in  providing  after-care  services  for  investors,  the  delays  in  the 
functionalisation  of  the  agencies  leave  these  issues  unaddressed.  Industrial  parks,  two  of 
which are turned into eco-industrial areas, succeed in internationalising domestic enterprises 
as suppliers to FDI establishments.  

Weak institutions and a lack of timely and professional responses to legitimate requests by 
businesses  remain  a  major  challenge.  Inadequate  capacities  and  resources,  prolonged 
administrative  procedures  and  insufficient  inter-ministerial  coordination  perpetuate  the  lack 
of a functioning filing system/institutional memory within Kosovo’s authorities. This presents 
obstacles  for  SMEs  to  access  business  support  services  and  obtain  permits  and  licences, 
which  are  further  exacerbated  by  excessive  and  time-consuming  paperwork.  Kosovo 
continued  to  extend  services  available  on  its  e-government  platform,  at  too  slow  a  pace 
though  to  lower  sizably  the  administrative  costs  to  enterprises  (see  also  chapter  10)  and 
contribute  to  reduce  informal  business  practices.  On  dispute  settlements,  the  Commercial 
Court has improved its efficiency in solving cases. Online mediation remained a viable tool 
for dispute resolution. Self-employed persons face a low tax burden and incorporated SMEs 
benefit from corporate income tax incentives.  

Access  to  finance  remains  a  barrier  to  the  growth  of  micro,  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises  (MSMEs).  Efforts  to  diversify  the  financing  resources,  including  by  updating  its 
legal  framework  to  allow  for  private  equity  investment  funds,  venture  capital  or  Business 
Angel  Networks,  needs  to  continue.  Small  businesses  continued  to  benefit  from  robust 
support  in  accessing  bank  finance  through  extensive  credit  guarantee  schemes  and  public 
credit lines offered by the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund. By September 2025 the Fund has 
expanded  enabling  loans  worth  EUR 944.2 million  to  MSMEs  in  the  sectors  of  production, 
service agriculture and trade, including start-up firms and women-owned businesses.  

Kosovo participates in the SME Pillar of the Single Market Programme. 

Kosovo has yet to align with the EU Late Payment Directive.  

In  the  area  of  sectoral  initiatives,  Kosovo’s  Strategy  for  tourism  2024  –  2030  and  action 
plan  for  the  first  two  years  of  its  implementation  are  in  place.  A  first  monitoring  report  on 
activities implemented in 2024 was published in June 2025. A strategy for natural resources 
is under development. 

Chapter 25 – Science and research 

The  EU  provides  significant  support  for  research  and  innovation.  All  Member  States  can 
participate  in  the  EU’s  research  and  innovation  programmes  and  benefit  from  them, 
especially  where  there  is  scientific  excellence  and  solid  investment  in  research  and 
innovation. 

There  has  been  no  major  progress  in  terms  of  legislation.  The  Law  on  innovation  and 
entrepreneurship and the Smart Specialisation Strategy remain in draft version.  

The financing of scientific research is not separately identified; it is part of a general budget 
for  higher  education  institutions,  which  is funding  scientific research  and  innovation  as  well 

75 

 
 
as  Universities.  Funding  of  innovation  support  measures  has  started  but  needs  further 
strengthening. Kosovo is encouraged to make use of the opportunities made available by the 
European Institute of Innovation and Technology. 

Kosovo’s participation in the EU framework programme for research and innovation remains 
low.  Since  the  launch  of  Horizon  Europe  in  2021,  Kosovo  has  submitted  171  project 
applications of which 15 were successful amounting to EUR 1.59 million in funding, resulting 
in a success rate of 9.36%.  

Kosovo became  a member  of the  European Digital  Innovation  Hubs  Network  in April  2025 
with the inauguration of its first European Digital Innovation Hub. 

Chapter 26 – Education and culture 

The EU supports cooperation in education and culture through funding programmes and the 
coordination  of  Member  State  policies  through  the  ‘open  method  of  coordination’.  The  EU 
and  the  Member  States  must  also  prevent  discrimination  and  ensure  quality  education  for 
children of migrant workers, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

On public spending, Kosovo’s planned budget for education and research for 2024 was EUR 
474  million  (4.5%  of  GDP,  compared  to  EU  average  of  4,6%).  The  actual  expenditure 
amounted  to  EUR  447  million,  94%  of  the  planned  amount.  Budget  allocations  for  early 
childhood education and care increased to a projected 9.03% of the overall education sector 
budget for 2025.   

Following  positive  developments  in  early  childhood  education  and  care,  the  Ministry  of 
Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) has started the implementation of 
compulsory pre-primary class (children aged 5) for the academic year 2024/2025. 

In March 2025, the government approved the Strategic Document and Action Plan for Early 
Childhood Intervention 2025-2030, with a special emphasis on children with developmental 
delays  and  disabilities.  Despite  some  progress  in  strengthening  education  and  promoting 
inclusivity,  children  with  disabilities  continue  to  lack  adequate  support,  which  affects 
approximately 8% of those aged 2–17. 

Although  Kosovo  is  making  efforts  to  improve  the  quality  of  basic/pre-university  education, 
the  implementation  of  Kosovo’s  education  strategy  for  2022-2026  lags  behind.  Funding  for 
basic public education continues to decrease, dropping by 4.7% from 2023 to 2024. 

Kosovo took part to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2024). Kosovo 
is participating to PISA 2025. The most recent PISA 2022 results show that the average 15-
year-old student in Kosovo has almost 4.5 years of learning behind peers in the EU. 

While  a  slight  increase  was  observed  in  pre-school  enrolment,  the  number  of  pupils  in 
primary and lower secondary education continued to decline. Girls account for 48.4% of all 
pupils  in  primary  and  lower  secondary  education.  The  attendance  among  Kosovo  Roma, 
Ashkali,  and  Egyptian  children  is  much  lower,  with  only  31%  of  them  reaching  upper-
secondary education as compared to 87% nationwide. Many LCs (Learning Centres), which 
provide  supplementary  educational  and  psycho-social  support  to  children  of  these 
communities, have closed due to a lack of financial and institutional support.  

New textbooks for the Albanian language and mathematics were adopted for the 2024-2025 
school year. A new Law on textbooks remains to be adopted.  

In  December  2024,  Kosovo  launched  an  advanced  teaching  license  exam  and  continued 
investing  in  teacher  training.  However,  progress  stalled  in  integrating  the  EU-developed 
peer-led quality assurance model into the national system. Although some municipalities still 
apply the model, its broader rollout has been delayed due to the introduction of new teacher 
licensing legislation. 

76 

 
 
The  12  VET  dual  education  profiles  piloted  over  the  last  two  years  continue  to  be 
implemented. The first dual VET graduates will finish their studies/training in 2025. However, 
the  concept  document  on  a  new  VET  Law  still  needs  to  be  finalised.  In  smaller 
municipalities,  the  limited  availability  of  companies  capable  of  hosting  VET  students  risks 
excluding  a  significant  portion  of  youth  from  dual  education  opportunities.  To  ensure 
inclusivity,  parallel  models  of  VET  education,  specifically  school-based  VET,  should  be 
maintained and harmonised.  

In  June  2025,  Kosovo  joined  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  (EAfA).  National, 
regional  and  local  stakeholders  should  be  activated  to  join  EAfA  to  support  VET  and 
apprenticeships through pledges. 

On higher education, in July 2025, the Kosovo Accreditation Agency became a member of 
the  European  Quality  Assurance  Register  for  Higher  education,  demonstrating  Agency’s 
quality assurance processes full compliance with the European standards and guidelines.  

Kosovo is not a member of the European Higher Education Area (Bologna process). There 
are  three  higher  education  institutions  from  Kosovo,  which  participate  in  the  European 
Universities Alliances as associated partners.       

Progress  was  made  in  advancing  digital  education,  including  through  the  roll-out  of  the 
national  platform  Shkollat.org  and  the  establishment  of  a  Department  of  Technology  and 
Digitalisation  at  the  Ministry  of  Education.  However,  digital  literacy  in  Kosovo  remains  well 
below  the  EU  standards  and  gaps  remain  in  teacher  training,  connectivity,  and  access  to 
devices,  particularly  for  children  from  disadvantaged  groups.  Sustained  investment  and 
stronger  governance  are  needed  to  align  digital  education  reforms  with  EU  priorities  on 
inclusion, employability, and the green and digital transitions.  

Kosovo  benefits  from  the  international  dimension  of  the  2021-2027  Erasmus+  programme.  
Kosovo  is  not  taking  part  to  the  European  Education  Area  working  groups  2021-2025. 
Following Kosovo’s accession to the e-Twinning programme in January 2024, teachers and 
school  staff  across  early  childhood,  primary,  and  secondary  education  institutions  have 
gained  access  to  an  online  platform  for  collaboration  and  project  development  at  both 
national  and  international  levels.  In  January  2025,  Kosovo  became  a  member  of  the 
Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE).  

In March 2025, Kosovo became a candidate member of the European Educational Research 
Association (EERA). 

Regarding  youth,  Kosovo  continued  implementing  its  Strategy  for  Youth  2024-2032.  The 
implementation of the first action plan under the Strategy, covering the period 2024-2026, is 
however still in an early stage and facing various challenges, including limited coordination 
and lacking youth engagement. 

Kosovo  has  adopted  its  first  National  Sports  Strategy  2025–2030  and  continued  to 
participate in the European Week of Sport. 

Kosovo still needs to develop a culture strategy. The Law on art and culture was adopted. 
Kosovo is not a party to the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of 
the  Diversity  of  Cultural  Expressions.  Kosovo  takes  part  to  the  culture  strand  of  Creative 
Europe,  but  it  cannot  participate  in  the  MEDIA  strand  until  it  aligns  the  Law  on  the 
Independent Media Commission with the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive.  

Chapter 29 – Customs union 

All Member States are part of the EU customs union and follow the same customs rules and 
procedures.  This  requires  legislative  alignment  as  well  as  adequate  implementing  and 
enforcement  capacity  and  access  to  and  interoperability  with  EU  electronic  customs 
environment. 

77 

 
 
In  the  area  of  customs  legislation,  Kosovo  continued  to  develop  secondary  legislation  to 
implement the new Customs and Excise Code in line with EU requirements. Kosovo has 28 
mutual administrative agreements and memoranda of understanding on customs matters in 
place,  including  the  SAA  Protocol  on  mutual  customs  cooperation.  In  December  2024, 
Kosovo  signed  the  mutual  administrative  agreement  with  Saudi  Arabia.  Due  to  statehood 
issues,  there  was  no  progress  on  Kosovo’s  application  to  become  an  observer  under  the 
Common Transit Convention (CTC). A total of 12 authorised economic operators (AEO) are 
currently  licenced.  Border  controls  are  performed  based  on  risk  approach,  in  line  with  the 
Revised  Kyoto  Convention  and  the  related  EU  Customs  Blueprints.  On  the  rules  of  origin, 
Kosovo applies the rules of origin of the revised Pan-Euro Mediterranean (PEM) Convention 
and  the  transitional  provisions  as  from  1  January  2025.  The  legislation  on  customs 
measures governing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and export controls for cultural goods 
is aligned with the EU acquis. Kosovo Customs systematically exchanges data on the cross-
border movement of goods among Western Balkans economies. Confiscation of articles that 
violated IPR during the reporting period amounted to approximately EUR 12 million.  

Kosovo has abolished and reduced fees for exporters/importers at inland customs terminals, 
with  import  fees  being  entirely  abolished  at  the  customs  terminals  in:  Vërmica/Vrbnica, 
Mitrovica,  Merdarë/Merdare,  Pejë/Peć,  Dheu  i  Bardhë/Bela  Zemlja,  Ferizaj/Uroševac  and 
Port of Durrës and Porto Romano in Albania. Around 70% of customs clearance happens in 
publicly owned terminals. Customs clearance performed in the  Port of Durrës increased by 
17% in comparison to last year.  

A  Joint  Investigation  Team  concerning  customs  fraud  has  been  established  comprising 
Kosovo  Customs,  the  Tax  Administration  of  Kosovo  and  law  enforcement  institutions  in 
Kosovo. Over EUR 170 million of additional revenues were collected during 2024 as a result 
of  the  fight  against  customs  fraud.  By  cooperating  with  the  European  Anti-Fraud  Office 
(OLAF),  Kosovo should further  strengthen combating customs fraud.  Kosovo  Customs  has 
started to implement the use of electronic tax stamps for tobacco and alcoholic beverages. 
Kosovo Customs has laid the foundations for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the area 
of  risk  management  and  is  implementing  the  integration  of  AI  in  the  Business  Intelligence 
platform.  In  this  regard,  Kosovo  Customs  should  still  adopt  an  IT  strategy  and  action  plan. 
Prevention  and  fight  against  undue  practices  within  Kosovo  Customs  should  be  prioritised 
and  enhanced  further.  Kosovo  Customs  has  an  accredited  and  operational  Customs 
Laboratory  and  is  participates  as  observer  in  some  activities  of  the  Customs  Laboratories 
European Network, thus contributing to trade facilitation, the fight against illicit cross-border 
activities and the safety of the general public. 

On administrative and operational capacities, Kosovo participates in the EU programme 
Customs  2020  and  in  different  fora  at  the  World  Customs  Organisation.  Kosovo  Customs 
made significant progress in the recruitment of new customs officers. The organisational and 
administrative  structure  of  Kosovo  Customs  is  currently  under  review.  As  regards  office 
infrastructure,  work  remains  to  be  done  to  meet  international  standards.  To  support  and 
strengthen  its  border  control  for  trade  facilitation  capacities  Kosovo  has  been  offered 
donations of cargo scanners by key international partners. 

CLUSTER 4: THE GREEN AGENDA AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH 

This  cluster  covers:  transport  (Chapter  14);  energy  (Chapter  15);  trans-European  networks 
(Chapter 21); and environment and climate change (Chapter 27). 

Chapter 14 – Transport policy 

On transport matters, Kosovo remained actively engaged in the activities of the Transport 
Community. However, Kosovo must strengthen its administrative and operational capacities 
to  enhance  coordination  and  ensure  the  timely  implementation  of  infrastructure  projects. 

78 

 
 
 
Further efforts are required to align with and implement the EU acquis across all areas of the 
transport sector including passenger rights in all modes of transport and to ensure the timely 
execution  of  the  next  generation  Transport  Community  Action  Plans  endorsed  in  2025. 
Kosovo should also begin addressing transport-related climate resilience, promote the use of 
alternative  fuels,  and  develop  sustainable  urban  mobility  plans  that  adhere  to  EU 
environmental and social standards. 

set 

data 

On road transport, some progress was made with the introduction of two one-stop crossing 
point  systems  in  Bllacë/Blace  -  Hani  i  Elezit/Elez  Han  and  Glloboçica/Jažince  between 
Kosovo  and  North  Macedonia.  Kosovo  adopted  the  Law  on  roads  and  the  action  plan  on 
Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), but further efforts are needed to align with the EU acquis 
on  social  and  market  rules  in  road  transport.  Kosovo  also  needs  to  set  up  a  road  asset 
management system. The existing crash data system is not yet compliant with the common 
accident 
(CADaS) 
protocol.  Kosovo  should  increase 
efforts  to  raise  awareness  about 
road  safety.  With  97  road  fatalities 
reported in 2024, Kosovo is still far 
from  reaching  the  UN’s  target  of 
maximum  56  in  2030.  Alignment 
road 
with 
infrastructure  safety  management 
is  still  pending.  Creating  a  system 
to  increase  the  capacity  of  road 
inspectors  and  auditors 
safety 
remains a priority.  

the  Directive 

on 

Kosovo  made  limited  progress  in  implementing  the  rail  transport  acquis.  The  Railway 
Regulatory Agency, which performs the functions of a regulatory body as well as a licensing, 
safety  and  interoperability  authority,  published  several  legislative  acts  mainly  pertaining  to 
the technical specifications of interoperability. While the market for rail transport services is 
open,  however,  poor  infrastructure  impacts  its  functionality.  To  date,  the  public  operator 
Trainkos  runs  only  one  passenger  connection,  while  the  only  two  local  freight  connections 
are covered by Trainkos and privately owned Railtrans. The railway legislation still needs to 
be  fully  aligned  with  the  market  and  technical  pillars  of  the  Fourth  Railway  Package.  The 
drafting of a Law on railway and a Law on railway safety and interoperability is still ongoing.  

Air transport continues to face many challenges arising from Kosovo’s non-membership in 
several  international  civil  aviation  organisations.  The  NATO-led  Kosovo  Force  (KFOR)  still 
manages  and  coordinates  the  Kosovo  airspace.  The  institutional  shortcomings  of  the  Air 
Navigation  Service  Agency  and the  Civil  Aviation  Authority,  as  well  as  the  lack  of  revenue 
from the airspace management, remain issues. Despite 2 outstanding issues to complete the 
first-phase  items  of  the  European  Common  Aviation  Area  (ECAA),  Kosovo  adopted  5 
regulations of the second-phase items on aviation safety. 

On  multimodal  transport,  the  implementation  of  the  action  plan  to  the  2023-2030 
multimodal transport strategy remained slow. Kosovo has not yet aligned with the Combined 
Transport Directive. 

Concerning  passenger  rights,  Kosovo  should  increase  its  efforts  to  implement  the  EU 
acquis in this field in all other modes of transport. 

Chapter 15 - Energy 

EU  energy  policy  covers  energy  supply,  infrastructure,  the  internal  energy  market, 
consumers,  renewable  energy,  energy  efficiency,  nuclear  energy,  nuclear  safety,  and 
radiation protection. 

79 

 
 
Kosovo remains heavily reliant on outdated, highly polluting coal-fired power plants, posing 
serious  health  and  environmental  risks.  Kosovo  needs  to  accelerate  the  environmental 
upgrade of the Kosovo B thermal power plant and decommission the non-operational units 
of the Kosovo A thermal power plant. 

Kosovo made only limited progress on the security of supply and is non-compliant with the 
oil acquis, since its storage capacity fulfils only 50% of the required demand. The adoption 
of the draft law on compulsory oil stockholding remains pending. There are no procedures in 
place  to  release  emergency  oil  stocks.  To  date,  Kosovo  does  not  plan  to  develop  gas 
infrastructure. Transposition of the Risk Preparedness Regulation in electricity sector is still 
to be completed. 

Regarding the internal energy market, alignment with the Electricity Integration Package is 
pending  as  adoption  of  the  Laws  on  energy  and  electricity  remains  delayed.  In  December 
2024,  Kosovo  inaugurated  its  intraday  electricity  market  coupling  with  Albania  after  the 
successful day-ahead market coupling in January 2024. In September 2024, the connection 
agreement  between  Kosovo  Transmission  System  Operator  (KOSTT)  and  the  European 
Network of Transmission System Operators – ENTSO-E was signed for additional two years, 
introducing  penalties  for  unintended  deviations.  Deviations  of  Kosovo’s  control  area 
continued  in  December  2024  and  January  2025,  reaching  higher  levels  in  February  2025 
and violating the thresholds. 

The distribution and supply of electricity in northern Kosovo were regulated in 2024 following 
the  completion  of  all  necessary  contracts  between  the  electricity  supply  company 
Elektrosever, Kosovo Energy Distribution Services (KEDS) and KOSTT. The supply of smart 
electricity meters for households and commercial consumers started in December 2024. To 
date, 11 000 smart meters were delivered (around 50% of the total meters needed), of which 
9 200 were installed. The Serbian transmission system operator EMS has yet to determine 
net transmission capacities at the interconnection with Kosovo, which prevents cross-border 
capacities from being allocated to the market participants. 

The  bulk  supply  agreement  (BSA)  between  the  Kosovo  Electricity  Supply  Company 
(KESCO)  and  the  Kosovo  Electricity  Corporation  (KEK)  continues  to  block  the  electricity 
market.  However,  with  the  decision  of  the  Energy  Regulatory  Office  (ERO),  approximately 
1300 commercial consumers have entered the liberalised electricity market in June 2025. In 
April  2025,  the  ERO  Board  approved  a  linear  tariff  increase  of  16.1%  for  all  consumer 
categories. Kosovo needs to create a comprehensive register of vulnerable consumers and 
set  a  national  objective  to  support  energy-poor  households  and  vulnerable  groups,  in  line 
with the relevant legislation and NECP objectives. ERO is understaffed and its economic and 
functional  independence  has  to  be  ensured  by  relevant  legislation  and  its  adequate 
enforcement resources. 

Concerning  renewable  energy  sources  (RES),  Kosovo  needs  to  adopt  secondary 
legislation  to  the  Law  on  renewables  to  complete  alignment  with  the  Renewable  Energy 
Directive (RED II). In December 2024, Kosovo launched the first wind auction covering up to 
100 MW capacity. However, Kosovo needs to increase efforts to meet ambitious targets set 
by the three-year auction plan (630 MW to be awarded by 2025), Energy Strategy (total RES 
installed capacities at 490 MW in 2025 and 1600 MW in 2031) and Energy Community (32% 
RES share in gross final energy consumption in 2030, also outlined in the draft NECP). To 
date,  Kosovo  awarded  100  MW  of  new  RES  capacities  within  the  three-year  auction  plan, 
has  the  total  installed  RES  capacity  of  333  MW  while  RES  share  in  gross  final  energy 
consumption is 19.26%. Following the establishment and operationalisation of the electronic 
registry  for  Guarantees  of  Origin  (GOs),  Kosovo  needs  to  adopt  disclosure  rules  and  the 
calculation of the residual energy mix to achieve an operational GO system. 

On  energy  efficiency,  good  progress  was  achieved  with  the  implementation  of  energy 
efficiency  measures  in  the  residential  and  private  sectors  as  part  of  the  Energy  Support 
Package financed by the EU. Kosovo needs to adopt a new Law on energy efficiency as well 

80 

 
 
as secondary  legislation to  implement the  Law  on the  energy  performance of  buildings.  To 
increase  energy  efficiency  as  outlined  in  the  energy  strategy,  Kosovo  needs  to  mobilise 
additional  financing  and  strengthen  the  institutional  capacity  to  implement  and  monitor  the 
associated savings. Kosovo is not aligned with energy labelling and eco-design acquis. 

Regarding  governance,  Kosovo  needs  to  accelerate  the  implementation  of  its  2022-2025 
energy  strategy  action  plan  to  achieve  its  ambitious  objectives.  To  date,  the  progress  has 
been slow. Kosovo needs to establish robust monitoring frameworks for both the overarching 
strategy  for  2022-2031  and  its  detailed  implementation  plans.  Adoption  of  the  National 
Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) has been increasingly delayed and needs to be done as 
soon as possible. 

There  has  been  no  progress  on  nuclear  energy,  nuclear  safety  and  radiation  protection 
acquis.  Kosovo  should  accelerate  its  efforts  to  align  with  Euratom  legislation  and  to 
participate  in  European  Community  Urgent  Radiological  Information  Exchange  (ECURIE)  and 
European Radiological Data Exchange Platform (EURDEP). 

Chapter 21 – Trans-European Networks 

The  EU  promotes 
transport, 
telecommunications  and  energy  to  strengthen  the  internal  market  and contribute  to  growth 
and employment. 

trans-European  networks 

the  areas  of 

(TENs) 

in 

Progress  on  the  Trans-European  Transport  Network  (TEN-T)  is  limited,  mainly  due  to 
insufficient 
to  ensure  realistic  cost-benefit  analysis,  EU 
standards, public procurement rules, state aid and environmental impact assessments.  

inter-institutional  capacities 

There is no progress on the Pristina – Merdare motorway or the ‘Peace Highway’. The works 
on  the  railway  on  the  Western  Balkans  Eastern  Mediterranean  Corridor  (Rail  Route  10) 
between Bllacë/Blace - Hani i Elezit/Elez Han and Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje are close to 
finalisation.  The  crossing  with  North  Macedonia  is  completed  but  still  not  opened  for  joint 
operations.  Work  on  the  other  section  between  Fushë  Kosovë/Kosovo  Polje  and  Mitrovica 
continued at slow pace. The final section from Mitrovica to Lešak/Leshak is suspended. The 
tendering  of  signalling  systems  and  telecommunications,  which  is  vital  for  trains  to  reach 
speeds  over  100  km/h,  remains  delayed.  The  feasibility  study  for  the  railway  connection 
between Durrës and Pristina through Gjakovë/Đakovica has been finalised. 

On  Trans-European  Networks  for  Energy  (TEN-E),  while  the  old  TEN-E  Regulation 
347/2013  was  aligned  and  implemented,  Kosovo  still  needs  to  align  its  legislation  with  the 
revised  TEN-E  Regulation  2022/869.  Kosovo  still  needs  to  develop  its  regional  electricity 
connections  in  line  with  the  Central  and  South-Eastern  Europe  Energy  Connectivity 
(CESEC)  action  plan  on  electricity  and  renewable  energy  and  the  Projects  of  Energy 
Community  Interest  (PECI),  in  particular  reconfiguration  of  400  kV  grid  and  new  400  kV 
interconnection Albania-Kosovo.  

Chapter 27 – Environment and climate change 

The  EU  promotes  strong  climate  action,  sustainable  development  and  protection  of  the 
environment. EU rules contain provisions addressing climate change, water and air quality, 
waste  management,  nature  protection,  industrial  pollution,  chemicals,  noise  and  civil 
protection. 

Environment 

Concerning  horizontal  legislation,  there  is  some  level  of  alignment  with  the  EU 
Environmental  Liability  and  Environmental  Crime  Directives.  In  2024,  MESPI  strengthened 
the  enforcement  of  environmental  legislation  through  the  establishment  of  a  Green  Task 
Force  (GTF).  As  a  result  of  its  operations,  over  200  court  decisions  ruled  that  illegal 
constructions were unlawful. Moreover, 25 cease-and-desist orders, 30 administrative fines 

81 

 
 
and 25 referrals to the Prosecutor’s Office for further legal action were ordered for breaches 
of  environmental  law.  GTF  mandate  ended  on  31  December  2024,  and  it  is  unsure  how 
environmental liability will be institutionalised on a more permanent basis. 

The  quality  of  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  investment  in  compliance  with  the 
Environmental  Impact  Assessment  and  the  Strategic  Environmental  Impact  Assessment 
Directives remains an issue. 

Further  efforts  are  needed  to  revise  and  adopt  relevant  documents  to  implement 
commitments  under  the Energy  Community’s  Decarbonisation  Roadmap.  Despite  MESPI’s 
efforts  to  fill  the  vacant  positions,  the  capacities  of  the  environmental  authorities  at  both 
central  and  local  levels  to  implement  the  environmental  acquis,  remain  limited,  which 
seriously hampers progress in the sector. Insufficient funding creates a key obstacle to the 
implementation  of  the  strategic  framework.  Public  awareness  of  the  importance  of 
environmental protection remains limited and increasingly urgent. 

There  was  no  progress  relating  to  air  quality.  It  continues  to  present  a  major  health  risk 
amid  delays  in  the  implementation  of  appropriate  remedial  measures  to  curb  air  pollution. 
Emissions  of  SO2,  NOx  and  dust  increased  in  2024  compared  with  2023  and  exceeded 
emission ceilings. 

The implementation of waste management legislation saw limited progress. The adoption of 
the Law on waste is pending. The implementing legislation related to the introduction of the 
deposit refund system (DRS) for beverages was modified, resulting in delays in establishing 
the DRS. The number of illegal dumpsites increased by 13.6% during the reporting period, 
bringing the total from 403 in 2024 to 458 in 2025. 

The inspection capacity of the central-level institutions needs to be increased as a matter of 
urgency.  The  inter-municipal  waste  management  plans  need  to  be  approved  and 
implemented. Kosovo also needs to start a reform of communal enterprises, ensure proper 
management  of  industrial  and  hazardous  waste  and  boost  the  circular  economy.  The 
Kosovo  Electricity  Company  needs  to  conduct  an  environmental  and  social  impact 
assessment for hazardous waste storage.  

On water management, the adoption of a new Law on water and the approval of river basin 
management  plans  are  pending.  The  river  basin  authority  was  reinforced  with  13  new 
employees,  however,  capacities of  other  institutions  at  both  central  and  local  levels remain 
low  and  need  further  strengthening.  The  lack  of  identification  of  agglomerations  and 
sensitive  areas  in  line  with  the  Urban  Waste  Water  Treatment  Directive  as  well  as  the 
absence of a sludge management strategy hamper progress in the infrastructure. There was 
no progress in aligning the legislation on water management and floods with the EU acquis 
in the reporting period. More efforts are necessary for the reduction of water losses and the 
management of water protection zones.  

Kosovo made  limited  progress on  nature  protection.  The  identification of  potential  Natura 
2000  sites  is  at  a  very  early  stage.  Protected  areas  lack  appropriate  management  and 
continue  to  be  polluted  and  poorly  maintained.  They  also  suffer  from  illegal  activities  and 
insufficient  implementation  and  enforcement  capacities  at  central  and  local  levels.  The 
adoption  of  a  strategy  for  environmental  protection  and  sustainable  development  for  2024-
2033  remains  pending.  There  was  also  no  progress  in  aligning  legislation  on  nature 
protection.  Kosovo  made  very  limited  progress  in  implementing  the  Law  and  strategy  on 
forestry.  Deforestation  and  illegal  logging  remain  a  matter  of  serious  concern,  with  40%  of 
the public forests being subject to uncontrolled or illegal harvesting activities. 

There  was  no  progress  in  aligning  with  the  acquis  on  industrial  pollution,  and  the 
implementation of industrial pollution prevention and control is very slow. Hazardous mining 
waste  as  well  as  industrial  discharge  into  rivers  and  industrial  dumpsites  continue  to  pose 
serious  threats  to  soil,  water  and  health.  Significant  efforts  are  needed  to  align  with  the 
Industrial Emissions Directive and to ensure proper implementation and monitoring.  

82 

 
 
There was no progress in aligning with the EU acquis on chemicals. The implementation of 
the  relevant  legislation  remains  at  a  low  level.  Kosovo  still  needs  to  improve  the 
implementation  of  the  regulatory  framework  on  the  export  and  import  of  hazardous 
chemicals.  

No progress was registered in aligning with the EU acquis on noise. 

On  civil  protection,  the  coordination  between  the  central  and  local  levels  remains 
inadequate.  Kosovo  needs  to  update  its  disaster  risk  assessment  in  accordance  with  the 
applicable regulations.  Kosovo  should make more  effort to prepare legislation as well  as a 
governance  and  financial  framework  on  the  prevention,  preparedness  and  response  to 
natural  and  other  disasters.  Kosovo  should  improve  coordination  among  responsible 
authorities  in  large-scale  disasters.  Kosovo  is  not  part  of  the  Union  Civil  Protection 
Mechanism (UCPM). 

Climate change 

Kosovo  should  step  up  its  efforts  to  align  with  the  EU  climate  acquis.  The  necessary 
secondary legislation following the adoption of the Law on climate change in 2023 should be 
adopted.  Kosovo  should  urgently  align  with  and  implement  the  monitoring,  reporting, 
verification  and  accreditation  (MRVA)  acquis  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  carbon  pricing 
and  aligning  with  the  EU  Emissions  Trading  System  (ETS).  The  National  Adaptation  Plan 
and the NECP need to be adopted as soon as possible. 

Kosovo adopted its first voluntary Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in March 2025 
and should ensure its implementation. The capacity of the relevant institutions needs to be 
significantly enhanced by increasing the number of staff working on climate policy. To date, 
MESPI  has  established  a  climate  dedicated  unit  and  should  ensure  it  becomes  fully 
operational.  Awareness  raising  needs  to  be  strengthened  and  cooperation  with  the  private 
sector should be more efficient. 

CLUSTER 5: RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND COHESION  

This cluster covers: agriculture and rural development (Chapter 11); food safety, veterinary 
and  phytosanitary  policy  (Chapter  12);  fisheries  and  aquaculture  (Chapter  13);  regional 
policy  and coordination of  structural  instruments  (Chapter  22);  and financial  and budgetary 
provisions (Chapter 33). 

Chapter 11 - Agriculture 

The EU’s common agricultural policy supports farmers and ensures Europe’s food security. 
It  helps  tackle  climate  change  and  the  sustainable  management  of  national  resources; 
maintains rural areas and landscapes across the EU; and keeps the rural economy alive by 
promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries and associated sectors. This requires strong 
management  and  control  systems.  There  are  also  common  EU  rules  for  marketing 
standards, quality policy and organic farming. 

On  horizontal  issues,  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture,  Forestry  and  Rural  Development 
(MAFRD)  is  the  national  programme  for  agriculture  and  rural  development  for  2023-2027. 
However, the support measures remain to be aligned with the EU acquis. Kosovo needs to 
further  strengthen  its  capacities  and  take  additional  steps  towards  the  development  of  an 
integrated administration and control system (IACS), and a farm sustainability data network 
(FSDN).  

On  the  common  market  organisation,  Kosovo  still  needs  to  adopt  the  implementing 
legislation for the Law on market organisation for agricultural products. 

On quality policy, the registration process and control need to be strengthened and aligned 
with the EU acquis. 

83 

 
 
 
On  organic  farming,  legislation  needs  to  be  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  and  the  national 
organic action plan 2023-2026 needs to be implemented.  

On  the  fight  against  corruption,  Kosovo  has  appointed  contact  persons  to  coordinate 
complaints,  corruption  reports,  and  related  issues,  as  regulated  under  the  Law  on  civil 
servants, which applies to all public institutions. 

Kosovo  needs  to  amend  and  adopt  the  Law  on  agricultural  land  and  the  action  plan  to 
address the loss and degradation of farmland. 

Chapter 12 – Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy 

The EU food acquis including EU hygiene rules for foodstuff production ensures a high level 
of  food  and  feed  safety  and  a  high-level  protection  of  consumers’  interests.  Animal  health 
and welfare and the safety of food of animal origin are safeguarded together with the quality 
of  seeds,  plant  protection  material,  the  protection  against  harmful  organisms  and  animal 
nutrition. 

In the area of general food safety, Kosovo still needs to adopt implementing legislation on 
the  Law  on  food,  and  the  strategy  for  aligning  with  the  EU  acquis  in the  field  of  veterinary 
and  phytosanitary  policy.  The  financial  and  human  resources  of  the  Food  and  Veterinary 
Agency  remain  insufficient  to  ensure  full  implementation  of  the  EU  acquis.  Additional 
the  establishment  of  an 
resources  are  needed,  especially 
epidemiological unit, and to implement a risk-based approach to controls. 

for  official  controls, 

The Agency continued to implement the national plan for the control and monitoring of food 
and  animal  disease  and  completed  the  obligatory  proficiency  testing  schemes  with  EU 
reference laboratories as part of the laboratory accreditation.  

In  the  area  of  veterinary  policy,  Kosovo’s  government  has  yet  to  adopt  a  Law  on  animal 
health  and  repeal  the  2004  Law  on  veterinary.  The  Food  and  Veterinary  Agency  did  not 
adopt a five-year disease monitoring and control plan due to a lack of government-allocated 
resources.  As  regards  rabies,  Kosovo  ensured  the  financing  means  for  oral  vaccination 
campaign  for  2025  and  2026  spring  and  fall.  Moreover,  Kosovo  approved  EU  cofinanced 
programmes for 2025-2027 for African swine fever, avian influenza and rabies.  

Resources  for  the  control  of  animal  health  and  welfare  (e.g.  at  farm  level,  during 
transportation, in slaughterhouses and in livestock markets) remain insufficient. Additionally, 
animal  movements  remained  under-reported  and  controls  are  yet  to  be  strengthened. 
Completing the alignment of its legislation with the EU animal welfare legislation and ensure 
adequate resources for its implementation remains necessary. Kosovo made no progress in 
identifying basic cross-compliance measures in the areas of food safety, animal health and 
welfare.  

On  the  placing  of  food,  feed  and  animal  by-products  on  the  market,  Kosovo  selected 
the  economic  operator  for  the  existing  rendering  plant  for  the  processing  of  animal  by- 
products.  The  approval  of  the  establishment  and  implementation  of  a  system  for  the 
collection and safe disposal of Category 1 animal by-products remains crucial. Kosovo sent 
to the European Commission its national residue monitoring plan.  

On food safety rules and its specific rules for feed, no development was reported. 

In  the  area  of  phytosanitary  policy,  Kosovo  approved  the  concept  document  on  plant 
health. However, the alignment of the sector with the EU acquis still needs to be improved. 
Strengthening actions with regard to surveys, early detection and eradication of pests remain 
crucial. 

Kosovo  has  yet  to  start  working  on  the  development  of  the  legal  basis  for  novel  food  and 
genetically modified organisms. 

84 

 
 
Chapter 13 – Fisheries and aquaculture 

The  common  fisheries  policy  lays  down  rules  on  fisheries  management,  protects  living 
resources  of  the  sea  and  limits the  environmental  impact  of  fisheries.  This  includes setting 
catch quotas, managing fleet capacity, rules on control and inspection, rules on markets and 
aquaculture,  and  support  for  fisheries  and  coastal  communities.  Further,  it  promotes  a 
sustainable aquaculture. 

Kosovo  has  only  inland  fishing  and  aquaculture  and  therefore  part  of  the  EU  acquis  on 
fisheries is not applicable. Kosovo needs to adopt a law on fisheries and aquaculture to align 
with the EU acquis.  

The  adoption  of  a  comprehensive  national  strategy  for  inland  fisheries  and  aquaculture, 
incorporating market, environmental, and social dimensions and the alignment of legislation 
with the acquis is still pending.  

Kosovo  should  focus  on  developing  a  market  policy  and  data  collection  system  including 
species  inventory  and  production  statistics  in  line  with  the  acquis.  Kosovo  should  also 
significantly  increase  the  administrative  capacity  for  market  policy  development,  legal 
approximation, policy enforcement, and inter-agency coordination as well as inspection and 
control aligned with EU best practices. 

There  was  no  development  concerning  resource  and  fleet  management,  structural 
action, state aid, aquaculture and international agreements. 

Chapter 22 – Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments 

inclusive  socio-economic  growth. 

Regional  policy  is  the  EU’s  main  tool  for  reducing  regional  disparities  and  investing  in 
sustainable  and 
‘shared 
management’  between  the  Commission  and  EU  Member  States.  The  implementation  of 
cohesion  policy  programmes  requires  appropriate  administrative  capacity  on  programme 
and project level, the establishment of systems of sound financial management and control 
and  also  the  fulfilment  of  other  EU  acquis  elements  such  as  environmental  or  public 
procurement legislation. 

is  operating 

through 

It 

On  the  legislative  framework  underpinning  regional  development,  some  progress  was 
achieved,  with  the  adoption  of  implementing  legislation  on  strategic  and  operational 
planning,  management,  and  monitoring  of  the  regional  development.  However,  there  has 
been no progress in enhancing the local self-governance nor on the enabling conditions for 
sustainable  and  inclusive  growth  (see  also  chapters  5,  8,  15,  17,19  and  27).  To  address 
persisting  regional  disparities,  Kosovo  needs  to  build  and  implement  cohesive  regional 
development  strategies,  significantly  empower 
local  authorities,  actively  promote 
participatory  decision-making,  strengthen  inter-municipal  cooperation,  step  up  funding, 
optimise resource sharing, and enhance service delivery.  

Kosovo has yet to complete the  institutional framework for the management of EU funds 
and  ensure  adequate  platform  for  sector-based  policy  dialogue  with  multiple  central  and 
local stakeholders.  

The administrative capacity of the national IPA coordinator and line ministries involved in 
programming and managing the EU funds has been strengthened but remains weak overall 
due to delays in the public administration reform and a lack of effective training mechanisms. 

On  programming,  Kosovo  adopted  an  ambitious  Reform  Agenda,  under  the  Reform  and 
Growth  Facility  and  proposed  an  investment  pipeline.  As  priority,  Kosovo  has  to  enhance 
and  mature  its  public  investment  management  to  ensure  independent  and  transparent 
assessment of costs and benefits, and adopt solid single and sector project pipelines, based 
on  sound,  transparent  and  inclusive  public  investment  selection  and  management 
methodology.  This  is  essential  to  achieving  its  energy,  climate,  environmental  and  social 
objectives  as  well  as  advancing  on  regional  development.  Kosovo  should  also  establish 

85 

 
 
structured  and 
programming of EU funds. 

inclusive  sector-based  policy  dialogue 

to  enhance  and  guide 

the 

Kosovo is implementing three IPA cross-border cooperation programmes with Albania, North 
Macedonia,  and  Montenegro  for  2021-2027.  Kosovo  does  not  participate  in  Interreg 
transnational and interregional cooperation programmes that cover the Western Balkans. 

Some  progress  was  achieved  on  the  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  EU  assistance  with 
enhanced  steer  by  the  National  IPA  Coordinator  and  RGF  National  Coordinator  team,  and 
improved  reporting  on  the  use  of  the  EU  funds.  Further  effort  is  needed  to  streamline  the 
monitoring and reporting lines, including on the Reform and Growth Facility.   

The  financial  management,  control  and  audit  systems  for  the  EU  funds  remain  at  an 
early  stage.  To  ensure  effective  protection  of  the  EU  financial  interests,  Kosovo  needs  to 
align  its  implementing  legislation  with  the  EU  standards,  strengthen  the  internal  controls, 
bolster  audit  capabilities  and  improve  irregularity  detection  and  reporting  capacities.  The 
establishment of a functioning anti-fraud coordination network remains a priority. 

On  fight  against  corruption  with  the  EU  funds,  Kosovo  has  to  focus  on  robustly 
implementing the relevant legislation, optimising the use of the existing anti-corruption tools 
and  putting  in  place  new  ones,  and  enhancing  the  quality  of  detection  and  investigation  of 
corruption cases (See also Chapters 23, 5 and 32). 

CLUSTER 6: EXTERNAL RELATIONS 

This cluster covers: external relations (Chapter 30). 

Chapter 30 – External relations 

The EU has a common commercial policy towards third countries, based on multilateral and 
bilateral  agreements  and  autonomous  measures.  There  are  also  EU  rules  in  the  field  of 
humanitarian aid and development policy. 

On the common commercial policy, Kosovo has yet to ratify CEFTA Additional Protocols 
on  trade  facilitation,  trade  in  services,  and  dispute  settlement.  Kosovo  continued  to  make 
progress  in  implementing  the  Common  Regional  Market  (CRM)  Mobility  Agreements  and 
technical measures of the CRM action plan for 2021-2024, including by unilaterally granting 
freedom of movement with ID cards to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In April 2025, 
Kosovo and North Macedonia inaugurated joint border crossing points in Bllacë/Blace - Hani 
i Elezit/Elez Han and Glloboçicë/Globočice – Jazhincë/Jažince, providing for swifter mobility.  

Disagreements  relating  to  Kosovo’s  representation  and  denomination  in  CEFTA  were 
resolved, allowing for the adoption of key decisions during the Joint Committee meetings in 
October 2024 and March 2025, the latter under Kosovo’s chairmanship. Kosovo is chairing 
CEFTA  effectively  despite  the  scarce  human  resources.  There  is  an  urgent  need  to 
strengthen the capacities of the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade to enable 
Kosovo to fulfil its commitments under the CRM 2 action plan for 2025-2028 and implement 
CEFTA additional protocols and decisions.  

In October 2024, Kosovo ended the suspension of all imports of finished goods of Serbian 
origin,  introduced  in  June  2023,  replacing  this  with  a  system  of  manual  checks  at  one 
Common Crossing Point (Merdarë/Merdare). All Serbian goods must currently pass through 
this  crossing  point.  The  government  announced  that  the  manual  checks  would  be 
suspended  and  a  normal  flow  of  imports  and  transits  through  all  crossing  points  would 
resume once border scanners are delivered and installed.  

Kosovo’s Law on dual-use goods is aligned with the latest EU acquis and regularly updates 
its  list  of  dual-use  items  in  line  with  that  of  the  EU.  Kosovo  is  neither  a  participant  nor  an 

86 

 
 
 
adherent  to  the  Australia  Group.  As  regards  bilateral  agreements  with  third  countries, 
Kosovo has free trade agreements with Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Negotiations with 
the  European  Free Trade Association (EFTA),  initiated  in  June  2022,  were concluded,  and 
the free trade agreement was signed in January 2025 but has yet to enter into force pending 
domestic ratification procedures by the respective signatories. Kosovo has yet to align with 
the EU acquis on screening of foreign direct investments. 

There was limited progress in the areas of development policy and humanitarian aid. As a 
recipient of aid programmes, Kosovo does not provide humanitarian aid to third countries in 
a systematic manner and has no development aid agency. Kosovo is encouraged to start the 
process of creating a legal framework covering international cooperation, development policy 
and  humanitarian  aid,  in  accordance  with  EU  policies  and  principles.  Kosovo  is  also 
encouraged to build dedicated administrative structures.  

87 

 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX I – RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EU AND KOSOVO   

The EU-Kosovo Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) entered into force in April 2016, 
providing  a  framework  for  political  dialogue  and  covering  cooperation  in  a  variety  of  sectors. 
Since  2016,  five  Stabilisation  and  Association  Council  meetings  and  seven  cycles  of 
subcommittee meetings have taken place. Since June 2023, in line with the EU measures vis-à-
vis Kosovo, meetings of SAA bodies have been put on hold. From May 2025, the EU has taken 
some steps to gradually lift the measures.  The next steps remain conditional on sustained de-
escalation  in  the  north.  The  Commission  intends  to  further  lift  these  measures  provided  an 
orderly transfer of local governance in the north is achieved after the second round of the local 
elections and de-escalation is sustained.  

On  30  October  2024,  the  Assembly  approved  the  NPEI.  This  programme  sets  out  steps  and 
priorities  for  the  implementation  of  the  SAA  as  well  as  other  reforms  for  Kosovo’s  European 
path.  

Kosovo formally submitted its application for EU membership on 15 December 2022. 

Visa liberalisation for Kosovo entered into force on 1 January 2024, allowing Kosovo biometric 
passport holders to travel to the EU without a visa for a period of stay of 90 days within any 180-
day  period.  Visa  requirements  were  also  lifted  for  holders  of  passports  issued  by  the  Serbian 
Coordination Directorate.  

On 9 October 2024, Kosovo adopted its Reform Agenda under the Reform and Growth Facility 
(Growth Plan for the Western Balkans), which allocates up to EUR 882 million to Kosovo for the 
period  until  end  2027.  The  Reform  Agenda  covers  reform  milestones  in  the  areas  of:  (i) 
governance, public administration reform and public financial management; (ii) green and digital 
transition; (iii) private sector development; (iv) human capital development and retention; and (v) 
fundamentals  and  the  rule  of  law.  However,  Kosovo’s  ratification  of  the  Facility  and  Loan 
agreements, a prerequisite for Kosovo to receive pre-financing and any disbursement of funds 
for reform implementation under the Facility, remains pending.  

The  Instrument  for  Pre-accession  Assistance  (IPA)  III  allocations  under  the  bilateral  strand 
reached  EUR 246 million  for  2021-2025,  of  which  35.3%  for  fundamental  reforms,  which 
includes funding for civil society, funding under the individual measures for migration and border 
management, and assistance for Kosovo’s participation in programmes such as Erasmus+, the 
Single  Market  Programme,  the  Citizens,  Equality,  Rights  and  Values  Programme,  Creative 
Europe,  the  Customs  programme,  the  Fiscalis  programme,  Horizon  Europe,  Digital  Europe, 
Programme for Employment and Social Innovation and the Justice programme. The remaining 
64.7% of the EU funding is focused on sustainable and inclusive growth. To enhance access to 
EU initiatives and funds and to support the development of national restoration plans, Kosovo is 
participating as observer in two pilot projects under the Technical Support Instrument. 

Kosovo continues to benefit from the implementation of the EU assistance of EUR 602 million 
under  the  Instrument  for  Pre-accession  II  (2014-2020),  44%  of  which  targets  democracy, 
governance,  rule  of  law  and  human  rights  while  56%  has  been  allocated  for  competitiveness 
and growth. 

Kosovo also receives supplementary support under the multi-country and regional programmes 
and  under  three  cross-border  cooperation  programmes  with  Albania,  North  Macedonia  and 
Montenegro.  

Since 2009, under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), the EU provided EUR 
300  million  in  grant  funding  for  investment  and  technical  assistance,  along  with  loans  totalling 
EUR 451 million, mobilising a total of EUR 2 billion in investment for infrastructure projects. 

In  the  context  of  the  Economic  and  Investment  Plan  (EIP),  Kosovo  benefits  of  EU  funding  of 
EUR 145.8 million,  mobilising  EUR 723 million  of  total  investment  for  priority  high  impact 
projects.  

88 

 
 
The adoption of measures vis-a-vis Kosovo in mid-2023 also affected financial assistance. The 
programming  of  the  remaining  IPA  III  funds  has  been  put  on  hold,  along  with  the  approval  of 
WBIF projects. The launching of procurement procedures and signature of contracts has been 
suspended. Following the start of the gradual lifting of the measures, four technical assistance 
projects in  support  of  possible  future investments  under  the  Reform  and  Growth  Facility  have 
been re-submitted to the WBIF Board and subsequently approved in July.  

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO), set up to 
investigate  and  prosecute  allegations  stemming  from  the  2011  Council  of  Europe  Report, 
continued  resolving  ongoing  cases.  In  2024,  the  KSC  first  instance  court  rendered  its  second 
judgment  in  a  war  crime  case;  the  case  is  under  appeal.  The  KSC  also  issued  a  new  verdict 
against  three  defendants  charged  with  the  offences  against  administration  of  justice  and 
received another indictment for obstruction of justice. These cases show the challenges that the 
KCS 
justice,  sentences  enforcement  and 
compensation of Kosovan victims.  

terms  of  obstruction  of 

including  in 

faces, 

Since  2008, the  European  Union  Rule  of  Law Mission  in Kosovo (EULEX)  has  been  assisting 
Kosovo authorities in strengthening sustainable and independent rule of law institutions. Under 
its current mandate (extended until June 2027), EULEX has only limited executive functions. It 
continues  to  perform  monitoring  and  advisory  activities.  As  well,  through  its  Formed  Police 
Units,  it  continues  to  have  the  role  of  the  second  security  responder.  EULEX  also  assists  the 
KSC/SPO  with  logistical  and  operational  support,  in  compliance  with  its  mandate  and  Kosovo 
legislation. 

Frontex  is  sending  officers  to  several  border-crossing  points  in  Kosovo  based  on  mutually 
agreed  operational  plans.  Additionally,  it  provides  other  border  management-related  support 
such as advice on setting up a national coordination centre.  

To date, according to the government, Kosovo has been recognised by 120 countries, including 
22 EU Member States. 

During the reporting period, the UN Secretary-General continued to provide regular updates on 
the  implementation  of  the  mandate  of  the  UN  Mission  in  Kosovo  (UNMIK).  The  NATO-led 
Kosovo Force (KFOR) has sustained its effort to ensure a safe and secure environment. As of 
March 2025, it is staffed by 4 686 personnel from 29 contributing nations. 

Kosovo continued to condemn Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against 
Ukraine  and  implement  restrictive  measures  against  Russia  and  Belarus.  In  2024,  Kosovo 
began providing military  assistance  to  Ukraine.  Together  with  partner  nations,  Kosovo  is 
helping to train Ukrainian soldiers in the UK under the aegis of ‘Op Interflex’. 

89 

 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX II – STATISTICAL DATA  

STATISTICAL DATA (as of 11/09/2025) 

Basic data 
Population (thousand) 
Total area of the country (km²) 

National accounts 
Gross domestic product (GDP) (million national currency) 
Gross domestic product (GDP) (million euro) 
GDP per capita (euro) 
GDP per capita (in purchasing power standards (PPS)) 
GDP per capita (in PPS), relative to the EU average (EU-27 = 100) 
Real GDP growth rate: change on previous year of GDP volume (%) 
Employment growth (national accounts data), relative to the previous year (%) 
Labour productivity growth: growth in GDP (in volume) per person employed, relative to the 
previous year (%) 
Unit labour cost growth, relative to the previous year (%) 
*3 year change (T/T-3) in the nominal unit labour cost growth index (2015 = 100) 
Labour productivity per person employed: GDP (in PPS) per person employed relative to EU 
average (EU-27 = 100) 
Gross value added by main sectors 
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries (%) 
Industry (%) 
Construction (%) 
Services (%) 
Final consumption expenditure, as a share of GDP (%) 
Gross fixed capital formation, as a share of GDP (%) 
Exports of goods and services, relative to GDP (%) 
Imports of goods and services, relative to GDP (%) 
Gross fixed capital formation by the general government sector, as a percentage of GDP (%) 

Note 

Note 

2012 
1 780 i 
10 908 w 

2020 
1 782 i 
10 905 w 

2021 
1 798 i 
10 905 w 

2022 
1 774 i 
10 905 w 

2023 
: 
10 905 w 

2012 
4 797 
4 797 
2 695 i 
: 
: 
1.7 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

9.1 
23.4 
10.4 
57.2 i 
100.4 
30.7 
24.5 
56.8 
: 

2020 
6 772 
6 772 
3 800 i 
: 
: 
-  5.3 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

8.9 
24.1 
9.3 
57.7 i 
98.8 
29.7 
21.7 
53.9 
: 

2021 
7 958 
7 958 
4 426 i 
: 
: 
10.7 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

8.6 
23.6 
10.6 
57.2 i 
95.9 
32.9 
33.4 
65.2 
: 

2022 
8 896 
8 896 
5 015 i 
: 
: 
4.3 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

9.2 
23.3 
10.7 
56.9 i 
97.5 
32.5 
38.6 
71.4 
: 

2023 
9 680 
9 680 
: 
: 
: 
4.1 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

9.0 
22.8 
10.1 
58.2 i 
96.7 
31.5 
39.6 
70.3 
: 

Business 
Industrial production volume index (2015 = 100) 
Number of active enterprises (number) 
Birth rate: number of enterprise births in the reference period (t) divided by the number of 
enterprises active in t (%) 

Note 

2012 
: 
36 886 w 
9.4 w 

2020 
: 
40 056 w 
: 

2021 
: 
45 468 w 
: 

2022 
: 
46 157 w 
: 

2023 
: 
48 317 w 
: 

2024 
: 
10 905 w 

2024 
10 305 p 
10 305 p 
: 
: 
: 
4.4 p 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

8.8 p 
23.4 p 
9.8 p 
58.0 pi 
96.6 p 
31.5 p 
41.9 p 
72.3 p 
: 

2024 
: 
: 
: 

90 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Death rate: number of enterprise deaths in the reference period (t) divided by the number of 
enterprises active in t (%) 
People employed in SMEs as a share of all persons employed (within the non-financial 
business economy) (%) 
Value added by SMEs (in the non-financial business economy) (EUR million) 
Total value added (in the non-financial business economy) (EUR million) 

Inflation rate and house prices 
Consumer price index (CPI), change relative to the previous year (%) 

Balance of payments 
Balance of payments: current account total (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: trade balance (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: net services (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: net balance for primary income (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: net balance for secondary income (million euro) 
Net balance for primary and secondary income: of which government transfers (million euro) 
*3 year backward moving average of the current account balance relative to GDP (%) 
*Five year change in share of world exports of goods and services (%) 
Net balance (inward - outward) of foreign direct investment (FDI) (million euro) 
Foreign direct investment (FDI) abroad (million euro) 
of which FDI of the reporting economy in the EU-27 countries (million euro) 
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the reporting economy (million euro) 
of which FDI of the EU-27 countries in the reporting economy (million euro) 
*Net international investment position, relative to GDP (%) 
Year on year rate of change in gross inflow of remittances (in national currency) from migrant 
workers (%) 

Public finance 
General government deficit / surplus, relative to GDP (%) 
General government gross debt relative to GDP (%) 
Total  government revenues, as a percentage of GDP (%) 
Total government expenditure, as a percentage of GDP (%) 

Financial indicators 
Gross external debt of the whole economy, relative to GDP (%) 
Gross external debt of the whole economy, relative to total exports (%) 
Money supply: M1 (banknotes, coins, overnight deposits, million euro) 
Total credit by monetary financial institutions to residents (consolidated) (million euro) 
*Annual change in financial sector liabilities (%) 

5.5 w 

2.6 w 

: 

: 

: 

Note 

Note 

Note 

Note 

: 

: 
: 

2012 
: 

2012 
-  293.1 
- 2 050.1 
499.6 
153.6 
1 103.7 
401.6 
-  10.8 
: 
213.3 w 
15.8 w 
: 
229.1 w 
: 
11.8 
: 

2012 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2012 
31.6 iw 
129.0 w 
: 
: 
: 

80.an 9 iw 

82.1 iw 

67.3 iw 

67.3 iw 

: 
: 

2020 
0.2 d 

2020 
-  472.2 
- 2 573.2 
391.6 
164.0 
1 545.4 
276.6 
-  6.8 
12.7 
286.6 w 
59.1 w 
16.5 
345.7 w 
152.1 
-  12.3 
14.5 i 

2020 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2020 
37.2 iw 
171.2 w 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2021 
3.4 d 

2021 
-  694.6 
- 3 567.0 
1 034.9 
150.9 
1 686.2 
233.7 
-  7.1 
47.3 
320.4 w 
100.3 w 
26.5 
420.7 w 
215.6 
-  11.5 
14.5 i 

2021 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2021 
37.1 iw 
111.2 w 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2022 
11.6 d 

2022 
-  917.0 
- 4 287.2 
1 367.5 
119.8 
1 881.8 
295.9 
-  8.7 
34.2 
556.9 w 
175.2 w 
37.8 
732.0 w 
388.9 
-  17.9 
13.7 i 

2022 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2022 
38.6 iw 
100.0 w 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2023 
4.9 d 

2023 
-  729.1 
- 4 598.3 
1 625.5 
202.8 
2 040.9 
301.8 
-  8.9 
47.1 
650.1 w 
190.0 w 
40.8 
840.1 w 
392.8 
-  18.8 
13.8 i 

2023 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2023 
39.6 iw 
100.0 w 
: 
: 
: 

: 

: 

: 
: 

2024 
1.6 d 

2024 
-  914.6 
- 4 926.8 
1 791.4 
218.2 
2 002.6 
292.7 
-  8.9 
55.3 
622.6 w 
224.9 w 
: 
847.4 w 
: 
-  20.6 
: 

2024 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2024 
41.1 piw 
97.9 w 
: 
: 
: 

91 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*Private debt, consolidated, relative to GDP (%) 
Interest rates: day-to-day money rate, per annum (%) 
Euro exchange rates: average of period (1 euro = … national currency) 
Trade-weighted effective exchange rate index, 42 countries (2015 = 100) 
*3 year change (T/T-3) in the trade-weighted effective exchange rate index, 42 countries 
(2015 = 100) 
Value of reserve assets (including gold) (million euro) 

: 
: 
1 w 
: 
: 

: 
: 
1 w 
: 
: 

: 
: 
1 w 
: 
: 

: 
: 
1 w 
: 
: 

: 
: 
1 w 
: 
: 

: 
: 
1 w 
: 
: 

215.8 

46.3 

168.9 

67.6 

-  44.0 

69.7 

External trade in goods 
Value of imports: all goods, all partners (million euro) 
Value of exports: all goods, all partners (million euro) 
Trade balance: all goods, all partners (million euro) 
Terms of trade (export price index / import price index * 100) (number) 
Share of exports to EU-27 countries in value of total exports (%) 
Share of imports from EU-27 countries in value of total imports (%) 

Demography 
Crude rate of natural change of population (natural growth rate): number of births minus 
deaths (per thousand inhabitants) 
Infant mortality rate deaths of children under one year of age (per thousand live births) 
Life expectancy at birth: male (years) 
Life expectancy at birth: female (years) 

Labour market 
Economic activity rate for persons aged 20–64: proportion of the population aged 20–64 that 
is economically active (%) 
Employment rate for persons aged 20–64: proportion of the population aged 20–64 that are 
in employment (%) 
Male employment rate for persons aged 20–64 (%) 
Female employment rate for persons aged 20–64 (%) 
Employment rate for persons aged 55–64: proportion of the population aged 55–64 that are 
in employment (%) 
Employment by main sectors 
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries (%) 
Industry (%) 
Construction (%) 
Services (%) 
People employed in the public sector as a share of total employment, persons aged 20–64 
(%) 
People employed in the private sector as a share of total employment, persons aged 20–64 
(%) 

92 

Note 

Note 

2012 
2 462 
267 
- 2 195 
87.4 iw 
40.3 iw 
42.1 iw 

2012 
11.4 e 

11.4 
: 
: 

2020 
3 297 
475 
- 2 822 
92.6 iw 
34.4 iw 
45.9 iw 

2020 
7.4 p 

: 
: 
: 

2021 
4 684 
756 
- 3 929 
101.4 iw 
31.5 iw 
44.3 iw 

2021 
5.5 

: 
: 
: 

2022 
5 639 
920 
- 4 719 
87.5 iw 
33.9 iw 
42.4 iw 

2022 
: 

: 
: 
: 

2023 
5 914 
863 
- 5 051 
81.6 piw 
32.3 iw 
43.0 iw 

2023 
: 

: 
: 
: 

2024 
6 355 
941 
- 5 414 
: 
33.2 iw 
44.7 iw 

2024 
: 

: 
: 
: 

Note 

2012 
42.5 w 

2020 
42.9 w 

2021 
43.9 w 

2022 
43.2 w 

2023 
45.1 w 

2024 
: 

29.7 w 

32.3 w 

35.1 w 

37.9 w 

40.3 w 

46.6 w 
12.4 w 
25.8 w 

4.6 w 
19.0 w 
9.5 w 
66.9 w 
35.0 w 

48.8 w 
16.0 w 
30.9 w 

4.8 w 
16.3 w 
11.1 w 
67.9 w 
28.7 w 

51.9 w 
18.5 w 
32.1 w 

2.8 w 
14.8 w 
10.5 w 
71.9 w 
28.3 w 

55.7 w 
20.5 w 
32.1 w 

2.2 w 
13.3 w 
11.0 w 
73.4 w 
27.7 w 

59.4 w 
22.0 w 
32.8 w 

2.4 w 
12.9 w 
11.8 w 
72.9 w 
27.4 w 

65.0 w 

71.3 w 

71.7 w 

72.3 w 

72.6 w 

: 

: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unemployment rate: proportion of the labour force that is unemployed (%) 
Male unemployment rate (%) 
Female unemployment rate (%) 
Youth unemployment rate: proportion of the labour force aged 15–24 that is unemployed (%) 
Long-term unemployment rate: proportion of the labour force that has been unemployed for 
12 months or more (%) 
Unemployment rate for persons (aged 25–64) having completed at most lower secondary 
education (ISCED levels 0-2) (%) 
Unemployment rate for persons (aged 25–64) having completed tertiary education (ISCED 
levels 5-8) (%) 

Social cohesion 
Average nominal monthly wages and salaries (national currency) 
Index of real wages and salaries (index of nominal wages and salaries divided by the 
inflation index) (2016 = 100) 
Gini coefficient 
Poverty gap 

Standard of living 
Number of passenger cars relative to population size (number per thousand population) 
Number of mobile phone subscriptions relative to population size (number per thousand 
population) 
Mobile broadband penetration (per 100 inhabitants) 
Fixed broadband penetration (per 100 inhabitants) 

Infrastructure 
Density of railway network (lines in operation per thousand km²) 

Length of motorways (kilometres) 

Education, Innovation and Research 
Percentage of persons aged 30-34 with a tertiary education level (ISCED 2011 levels 5 to 8) 
Percentage of persons aged 30-34 with a tertiary education level (ISCED 2011 levels 5 to 8), 
males 
Percentage of persons aged 30-34 with a tertiary education level (ISCED 2011 levels 5 to 8), 
females 
Participation in early childhood education (children aged 3 and over) 
Participation in early childhood education (children aged 3 and over), males 
Participation in early childhood education (children aged 3 and over), females 
Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading 
Low achieving 15-year-olds in mathematics 
Low achieving 15-year-olds in science 

93 

30.9 w 
28.1 w 
40.0 w 
55.3 w 
18.5 w 

25.8 w 
23.4 w 
32.2 w 
49.1 w 
18.4 w 

20.6 w 
18.9 w 
24.9 w 
38.0 w 
14.5 w 

12.5 w 
11.0 w 
16.5 w 
21.4 w 
8.1 w 

10.8 w 
7.6 w 
18.2 w 
17.3 w 
7.7 w 

43.9 w 

30.2 w 

27.6 w 

21.8 w 

22.6 w 

11.6 w 

17.0 w 

13.7 w 

9.7 w 

6.7 w 

Note 

Note 

Note 

Note 

2012 
383 w 
: 

: 
: 

2012 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2012 
30.5 iw 

: 

2012 
9.3 w 
12.1 w 

2020 
466 w 
: 

45 w 
46.6 w 

2021 
484 w 
: 

57 w 
65.0 w 

2020 
164.4 iw 
1 095.0 ew 

2021 
179.3 iw 
1 072.0 ew 

84.5 ew 
21 ew 

88.4 ew 
22 ew 

2020 
30.5 iw 

: 

2020 
29.1 w 
28.1 w 

2021 
30.5 iw 

: 

2021 
32.3 w 
30.8 w 

2022 
521 w 
: 

: 
: 

2022 
191.2 iw 
: 

88.2 ew 
23 ew 

2022 
30.5 iw 

: 

2022 
30.9 w 
26.3 w 

2023 
570 w 
: 

: 
: 

2023 
: 
: 

88.2 ew 
23 ew 

2023 
30.5 iw 

: 

2023 
30.6 w 
23.9 w 

6.5 w 

30.3 w 

34.0 w 

35.9 w 

37.4 w 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
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: 

2024 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2024 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2024 
30.5 iw 

: 

2024 
: 
: 

: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Early leavers from education and training: proportion of persons aged 18-24 with at most 
lower secondary education (at most ISCED 2011 level 2) who are not in further education or 
training 
Early leavers from education and training: proportion of men aged 18-24 with at most lower 
secondary education (at most ISCED 2011 level 2) who are not in further education or 
training 
Early leavers from education and training: proportion of women aged 18-24 with at most 
lower secondary education (at most ISCED 2011 level 2) who are not in further education or 
training 
Proportion of persons aged 25-64 having participated in education and training (last 4 
weeks) 
Proportion of persons aged 25-64 having participated in education and training (last 4 
weeks), men 
Proportion of persons aged 25-64 having participated in education and training (last 4 
weeks), women 
Exposure of vocational education and training (VET) graduates to work-based learning (% of 
population aged 20-34) 
Share of individuals having at least basic digital skills (% of population aged 16-74) 
Share of individuals having at least basic digital skills (% of population aged 16-74), males 
Share of individuals having at least basic digital skills (% of population aged 16-74), females 
Public expenditure on education relative to GDP (%) 
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D relative to GDP (%) 
Government budget appropriations or outlays on R&D (GBAORD), as a percentage of GDP 
(%) 
Percentage of households who have internet access at home (%) 

Environment 
Index of greenhouse gas emissions,  CO2 equivalent (1990 = 100) 
Energy intensity of the economy (kg of oil equivalent per 1 000 euro GDP at 2015 constant 
prices) 
Electricity generated from renewable sources relative to gross electricity consumption (%) 
Road share of inland freight transport (based on tonne-km) (%) 

Energy 
Primary production of all energy products (thousand TOE) 
Primary production of crude oil (thousand TOE) 
Primary production of solid fuels (thousand TOE) 
Primary production of gas (thousand TOE) 
Net imports of all energy products (thousand TOE) 
Gross inland energy consumption (thousand TOE) 
Gross electricity generation (GWh) 

18.4 w 

7.8 w 

7.0 w 

7.8 w 

7.7 w 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 
: 
: 
4.1 iw 
: 
: 

: 

2012 
: 
484.4 

1.5 
: 

2012 
1 749 
0 
1 496 
0 
650 i 
2 384 
5 943 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 
: 
: 
4.6 iw 
: 
: 

96.4 

2020 
: 
413.9 

5.3 
: 

2020 
1 901 
0 
1 562 
0 
787 i 
2 665 
6 711 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 
: 
: 
4.3 iw 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
3.9 iw 
: 
: 

: 

: 

4.5 w 

4.3 w 

4.8 w 

: 

: 
: 
: 
4.1 iw 
: 
: 

: 

: 

: 

2021 
: 
405.0 

5.1 
: 

2021 
1 937 
0 
1 591 
0 
942 i 
2 888 
6 892 

2022 
: 
358.0 

6.7 
: 

2022 
1 796 
0 
1 543 
0 
858 i 
2 662 
6 998 

2023 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2023 
1 560 
0 
1 290 
0 
983 i 
2 552 
6 353 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: 

2024 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2024 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

Note 

Note 

94 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Agriculture 
Agricultural output volume index (at producer prices) (2015 = 100) 
Utilised agricultural area (thousand hectares) 
Livestock numbers: live bovine animals (thousand heads, end of period) 
Livestock numbers: live swine (thousand heads, end of period) 
Livestock numbers: live sheep and live goats (thousand heads, end of period) 
Raw milk available on farms (thousand tonnes) 
Harvested crop production: cereals (including rice) (thousand tonnes) 
Harvested crop production: sugar beet (thousand tonnes) 
Harvested crop production: vegetables (thousand tonnes) 

Source: Eurostat and/or the statistical authorities in Kosovo 

Note 

2012 
88.2 w 
426.0 
: 
: 
: 
: 
439.1 
: 
90.1 

2020 
100.0 w 
421.1 
261.4 
45.4 
241.7 i 
: 
529.1 
: 
169.4 

2021 
95.2 w 
421.2 
260.5 
47.4 
241.4 i 
: 
504.4 
: 
165.0 

2022 
93.9 w 
421.4 
250.9 
45.4 
233.5 i 
: 
518.7 
: 
175.6 

2023 
93.7 w 
421.6 
247.5 
43.7 
235.0 i 
: 
477.2 
: 
170.2 

2024 
: 
: 
: 
: 
237.2 i 
: 
: 
: 
: 

: = not available 
d =  definition differs 
e = estimated value 
p = provisional 
i = Eurostat estimate 
w= data supplied by and under the responsibility of the national statistical authority and published on an "as is" basis and without any assurance as regards their 
quality and adherence to EU statistical methodology 
m =  missing value / data cannot exist 
* = Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure (MIP) indicator 

95