Brussels, 02/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 2 May, Kosovo's ministers for foreign affairs and European integration, Enver Hoxhaj and Vlora Citaku, announced that negotiations had concluded that day for the stabilisation and association agreement between Kosovo and the EU. This is a “landmark framework for European Kosovo”, Hoxhaj tweeted. Citaku described it as “the beginning of a long journey”. The spokesperson to the enlargement commissioner has confirmed the report.
The negotiations were launched on 28 October (see EUROPE 10952) following the recommendation of the Commission on 22 April 2013 (see EUROPE 10832) and the authorisation of the Council on 26 June 2013 (see EUROPE 10874). The draft agreement is to be finalised before the summer and will be put to the Council and the European Parliament, notwithstanding the position on the status of the country, which is not recognised by five member states as an independent state (Spain, Cyprus, Romania, Greece and Slovakia).
The agreement, which will phase in a bilateral free-trade zone, will be the first overall contractual relationship between the country and the EU and an important stage in Kosovo's European integration process, the Commission said when the negotiations were launched. (CG)