Accession of Kosovo to the European Union

The accession of Kosovo to the European Union faces many economic and political problems today, the largest being the fact that several EU states which would need to ratify its eventual accession do not recognise it as a state. As of November 2008^[update], 22 of the 27 member states recognise Kosovo as an independent state. However, Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244) is officially considered a potential EU candidate by the European Union, and it has been given a clear "European perspective" by the Council of the European Union. As confirmed by the Thessaloniki Summit in June 2003, Kosovo is firmly anchored in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process, the EU policy which applies to the Western Balkans, and is designed to prepare potential candidates for EU membership.

On 20 April 2005, the European Commission adopted the Communication on Kosovo to the Council "A European Future for Kosovo" which reinforces the Commission’s commitment to Kosovo. On 20 January 2006, the Council adopted a European Partnership for Serbia and Montenegro including Kosovo as defined by UNSCR1244. The European Partnership is a means to materialise the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries within the framework of the stabilisation and association process.

The Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) adopted an Action Plan for the Implementation of the European Partnership in August 2006 and this document forms the current working basis between the EU and the PISG. The PISG regularly reports on the implementation of this action plan.

As of 2008^[update], fourteen meetings of the so-called "Stabilisation Tracking Mechanism" (STM), an association process specially devised to promote policy dialogue between the EU and the Kosovan authorities on EU approximation matters have taken place so far. In addition, in March 2007, a new structure of sectoral meetings under the umbrella of the STM was established in the areas of good governance, economy, internal market, innovation and infrastructure . ^[1]

The EU member states that do not recognise Kosovo's independence are, Spain, Slovakia, Cyprus, Romania, and Greece.

Euro

Like Montenegro, Kosovo unilaterally adopted the German mark as its state currency in November 1999, and switched to the euro when it was launched in 2002.