Dutch Member of the European Parliament Thijs Reuten has strongly welcomed the European Union’s decision to lift all restrictive measures against Kosovo, while sharply criticizing the EU’s previous approach and urging immediate action on Kosovo’s long-stalled EU candidacy application.
The EU’s decision is expected to be fully finalized by the end of January 2026, when a second tranche of frozen financial funds will be released.
“A Catastrophic EU Policy Toward Kosovo”
Reacting to the development, Reuten described the EU’s past policy toward Kosovo as deeply misguided and damaging, stressing that the bloc must now take responsibility by restoring momentum to Kosovo’s European path.
“What a disaster this EU policy has been. Now we can finally restart Kosovo’s European journey,” Reuten wrote.
Call to Unblock Kosovo’s Candidate Status
The Dutch MEP emphasized that the next crucial step should be the processing of Kosovo’s application for EU membership, which he said has been kept in a drawer for years without justification.
“Next step: process Kosovo’s membership application, which has been left pending for years,” Reuten stated.
Pressure on the EU to Restore Credibility
Reuten’s remarks add to growing pressure within the European Parliament for the EU to restore its credibility in the Western Balkans, particularly after criticism that punitive measures against Kosovo undermined reform efforts and strengthened skepticism toward the EU.
The lifting of measures is widely seen as an opportunity for the EU to correct past mistakes and re-engage with Kosovo on a clear, merit-based accession path.
