On 15 July 2026, the Council of the European Union appointed Portuguese diplomat Antero Lopes as the new Head of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).
Lopes has been appointed for an initial 10-month mandate, beginning on 10 August 2026, and will succeed Italian diplomat Giovanni Pietro Barbano in the role.
According to the EU announcement, Lopes is a senior Portuguese international official specializing in diplomacy, the rule of law, and security sector governance, with more than four decades of experience at both national and international levels, including over 25 years of service with the United Nations.
His previous assignments include serving with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as spending six years with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
The EU highlighted that Lopes brings extensive expertise in strategic leadership, crisis management, and engagement with governments and international partners, making him well-positioned to lead EULEX at a critical time for Kosovo’s rule-of-law institutions.
