Third meeting of the EU's Kosovo SAp Tracking Mechanism

The third meeting of the Kosovo SAp (Stabilisation and Association process) Tracking Mechanism (STM) took place in Pristina on 26/27 November 2003. European Commission experts discussed trade and customs issues, key economic legislation and competition questions with experts from UNMIK (United Nations Mission in Kosovo) and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG). The delegations were headed, for Kosovo, by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Mr. Harri Holkeri and the Prime Minister, Mr. Bajram Rexhepi. They were accompanied by experts from UNMIK and the PISG. Mr. Reinhard Priebe, Director for Western Balkans at the European Commission, led the European Commission's delegation.

The third meeting of the Kosovo SAp Tracking Mechanism concentrated on trade policy and customs issues. Furthermore, it discussed key pieces of economic legislation, e.g. company law and intellectual property protection, to help Kosovo build a modern legal framework conducive to foreign investment. Finally, competition policy issues were also raised. The meeting equally reviewed progress made on earlier STM recommendations on fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law, key market economic reforms and energy policy.

The next meeting will take place in a few months, when sufficient progress will have been made in the implementation of the policy recommendations issued to date and when the next sectors for discussion will have been prepared.

The SAp Tracking Mechanism is mutually reinforcing with the Kosovo Standards Work Plan, which will operationalise the "standards before status" policy of the International Community.

Background:

The Stabilisation and Association process (SAp) is the EU's framework for relations with the Western Balkans region. The objective of the process is the stabilisation of the region through political and economic reforms, underpinning progress towards the European Union.

The SAp Tracking Mechanism (STM) for Kosovo in the framework of the EU's Stabilisation and Association Process is a joint technical working group of UNMIK, the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) and the European Commission. Its purpose is to support Kosovo in its EU-compatible structural reforms through policy advice and guidance. This will help to keep Kosovo firmly on track in its progress towards Europe.

Already today, Kosovo benefits from the various instruments of the SAp, i.e. massive financial aid through the CARDS program, far-reaching trade concessions and concrete policy advice, irrespective of its current status under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

Discussions in the sectoral expert meetings are based on detailed replies by UNMIK and PISG to technical questionnaires in each area, sent by the European Commission.

The STM process within Kosovo continues between and after meetings. The time between the meetings allows for the elaboration of responses to the questionnaires and the implementation of the sectoral recommendations.

For further information:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/see/fry/kosovo/index.htm

http://www.ear.eu.int/kosovo/kosovo.htm

| Top |