The European Union has effectively sidelined Kosovo’s application for EU membership, avoiding even a formal mention of it, despite the fact that Kosovo applied for accession nearly three years ago. As a result, Kosovo remains the only country in Europe whose EU membership application has not been processed or even formally acknowledged by the EU Council.
Whenever attempts are made to raise Kosovo’s application in EU discussions, one or more member states that do not recognize Kosovo intervene to block even its mention. Most recently, Slovakia opposed any reference to Kosovo’s application, once again halting progress.
Application Stuck Due to Non-Recognizing States
If adopted as proposed, the EU General Affairs Council conclusions on enlargement will include multiple references to Kosovo — ranging from dialogue obligations to alleged lack of progress — but will conspicuously omit any mention of Kosovo’s membership application.
According to EU diplomats, the Council has never formally discussed Kosovo’s application, despite repeated informal attempts by rotating EU presidencies. These efforts were abandoned after encountering “insurmountable obstacles” from non-recognizing member states.
The Danish EU Presidency, which is nearing its end, has failed to advance Kosovo’s application even procedurally. The situation is expected to worsen as Cyprus — one of the strongest opponents of Kosovo’s recognition — assumes the next EU presidency, significantly reducing prospects for progress.
European Commission Ready, Council Blocks Mandate
The European Commission has expressed readiness to prepare an official opinion on whether Kosovo meets the criteria for candidate status. However, this can only happen if the EU Council grants a formal mandate, which requires consensus among member states.
Diplomats confirmed that the sole formal obstacle remains opposition from non-recognizing EU countries. Although some EU officials cite issues such as the dialogue with Serbia or reform delays, these are not formal barriers at this stage.
Recognizing States Show Waning Political Will
During recent negotiations on draft Council conclusions, Slovakia explicitly objected to any reference to Kosovo’s EU application. In contrast, countries such as Austria and Finland, along with the European External Action Service (EEAS), have advocated for movement toward closer EU integration for Kosovo.
Nevertheless, three years after Kosovo submitted its application, it has effectively been forgotten.
Kosovo’s failure to join the Council of Europe, although institutionally separate from the EU, has further weakened momentum. According to European diplomats, this failure reduced enthusiasm even among EU member states that recognize Kosovo, creating space for non-recognizers to dictate EU policy toward Prishtina.
Punitive Measures and Growing Credibility Gap
In the current draft conclusions, the Council merely states that it “supports Kosovo’s continued commitment to the European path and reforms, which the EU will continue to support”, without acknowledging Kosovo’s application.
At the same time, Kosovo remains the only country in the region under EU punitive measures, reinforcing perceptions of double standards and political selectivity in the enlargement process.
The EU’s reluctance to even name Kosovo’s application raises serious questions about the credibility, fairness, and political integrity of the Union’s enlargement policy, particularly toward the Western Balkans.
