23/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - Stabilisation and association agreement to be signed on Tuesday 27 October. In Strasbourg on Tuesday 27 October, the EU will sign the stabilisation and association agreement (SAA) with Kosovo, the European Commission announced on Friday 23 October. The agreement will be signed, on behalf of the EU, by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and by the Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn. For Kosovo, it will be signed by the Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, and the Minister for European integration, Bekim Çollaku. On 22 October, the Council gave its agreement for the signature of the agreement, which covers Community issues only. The Parliament will then give its blessing, but the member states will not have to ratify it. The agreement is set to enter into force in the first half of 2016. Negotiations were started on 28 October 2013 (see EUROPE 10952) and concluded on 2 May 2014 (see EUROPE 11071). On 30 April 2015, the European Commission adopted the proposal and the SAA (see EUROPE 11307). (CG)