The European Council is expected to announce next week that it will gradually lift sanctions imposed on Kosovo, but this will occur alongside other actions Kosovo must take to de-escalate tensions in the north. However, there are still significant disagreements among EU member states on how to proceed.
These discussions will be part of the conclusions drawn during the General Affairs Council meeting on December 17 in Brussels. However, there remain differences in positions among member states, meaning further talks will take place on Sunday among the ambassadors of EU countries.
Radio Free Europe has seen a draft of these conclusions, which also touches on other issues related to the EU enlargement process.
EU’s Draft Conclusions on Kosovo Sanctions: Gradual Lifting with Conditions
The latest draft of the EU’s conclusions states that the Council will gradually lift the sanctions against Kosovo while Kosovo must take additional steps to reduce tensions in the northern part of the country. This is in line with the High Representative’s earlier statement that the EU had imposed measures on Kosovo, and now it is prepared to lift them, as long as Kosovo fulfills certain conditions.
The earlier version of the draft did not mention the lifting of sanctions at all and was nearly identical to the one from the previous year, ignoring the fact that the High Representative had previously recommended lifting the measures.
While the earlier version of the draft appeared “very negative” regarding Kosovo’s situation, the updated version now seems “too positive” for some EU members, making it unclear how these conclusions will be received by the member states.
Ongoing Disagreements Among EU Member States on Kosovo Sanctions
In several recent meetings of EU ambassadors, there have been differing views on how to lift the sanctions against Kosovo. A majority of member states want the sanctions to be lifted immediately and completely. However, countries like France and Italy are in favor of a gradual removal of the sanctions.
The ongoing disagreements about how to approach the sanctions against Kosovo have prevented any action to lift them, either fully or gradually. According to diplomatic sources within the EU, the sanctions may not be lifted before Kosovo’s scheduled elections on February 9, 2025.
Kosovo’s Response: EU Sanctions Should Be Lifted for Equal Dialogue
The European Union imposed sanctions on Kosovo in 2023 due to rising tensions in the northern part of the country. The EU had criticized Kosovo’s government for not doing enough to reduce tensions.
After negotiations, both sides agreed that Kosovo would take specific actions in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. However, Kosovo authorities claim they have fulfilled all the EU’s demands and consider the sanctions unjust.
