The European Commission has confirmed that Kosovo has fulfilled all of the benchmarks set out in the EU’s Visa Liberalisation Roadmap.
The Visa Liberalisation Roadmap paves the way for visa-free travel throughout the EU for the people of Kosovo, and was proposed in 2016 by the European Commission following four years of discussion about visa liberalisation. The proposal included a number of benchmarks that Kosovo needed to meet before the proposal was officially adopted.
The Commission has now confirmed that Kosovo has met the final two outstanding benchmarks, meaning that the proposal can now move forward. The two benchmarks were a requirement that Kosovo approve a border demarcation agreement with Montenegro, which the two countries approved in March 2018; and for Kosovo to improve its track record in fighting organised crime and corruption.
How were Kosovo’s efforts to fight corruption and organised crime measured?
The European Commission has been monitoring Kosovan efforts to tackle organised crime and corruption, and at the beginning of May sent a technical mission to the country to monitor progress. The team found that the authorities in Kosovo have increased the number of investigations and strengthened final court rulings in such cases, and was satisfied that the benchmark had been met.
The Commission reports that all of the benchmarks for the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap have now been reached, and has encouraged the European Parliament and the European Council to move ahead with the proposal to allow Kosovars visa-free travel within the EU.
What impact will visa-free travel for Kosovars have on the EU?
Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Home Affaris and Citizenship, welcomed the progress Kosovo has made in meeting its benchmarks. Improving relationships with the EU’s partner countries is a vital element of its Western Balkans strategy, with visa liberalisation forming a crucial part of this.
He said: “Kosovo has made great progress over the last two years to fulfil the two remaining visa liberalisation requirements. Today, we can confirm that both outstanding benchmarks have now been met, and that all other benchmarks continue to be met. I also count on Kosovo to continue addressing both migration and security challenges, including the fight against corruption… This will be an important moment for Kosovo, for the entire Western Balkan region, and for Europe as a whole.”
