MEPs are calling for the immediate removal of punitive measures imposed on Kosovo, deeming them unreasonable and contradictory to Kosovo’s alignment with European values.

The measures, introduced in June 2023 in response to tensions in the Serb-majority northern region, included the freezing of EU funds and the suspension of high-level meetings with Kosovo officials.

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee will meet on February 20 to discuss an annual report on Kosovo’s EU integration progress, prepared by rapporteur Riho Terras, Albania's Top Channel reported on February 19.

The draft report not only calls for the removal of these measures but also advocates for Kosovo’s EU membership and urges member states that have yet to recognise Kosovo to do so without further delay. It says that Kosovo’s future is within the EU, arguing that both Kosovo and the EU benefit from ending the country’s status "in the grey zone".

Terras, who compiled the report following consultations with EU partners and in line with the European Commission’s findings, acknowledges Kosovo’s progress in justice, security, the fight against organised crime and its market economy. 

In addition to Kosovo’s EU ambitions, the report supports Kosovo’s membership bid to the Council of Europe and its plan to join Nato’s Partnership for Peace programme.

However, concerns remain over the slow pace of strengthening the rule of law. The report highlights serious issues within Kosovo’s legal system, particularly regarding corruption, the need for visible results from legal reforms, and the independence of the justice system.

Further concerns are raised over security, particularly following the armed attack in Banjska in September 2023 and the incident on the Ibar-Lepenc canal in November 2024. The report calls for those responsible for these acts to be brought to justice.

The report concludes by reaffirming support for the ongoing EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, and it welcomes the appointment of Peter Sorensen as the EU’s special envoy for the process.