Kosovo

In its conclusions on the Enlargement and Stabilisation and Association Process, EU foreign affairs ministers at the General Affairs and External Relations Council yesterday stressed that Kosovo should benefit from eventual visa-free travel to the EU. Ulrike Lunacek, Greens/EFA foreign affairs spokesperson and EP Kosovo rapporteur, commented:

"In its statement, the Council has invited the Commission to take steps to bring Kosovo closer to the European Union, especially in the fields of visa and trade. I regret that the Council stopped short of explicitly announcing the opening of the dialogue on visa liberalisation with Kosovo. This was the call from the European Parliament in its 26 November resolution on the EU Enlargement Strategy (1). I call on the Commission to immediately open a dialogue with the Kosovo authorities with a view to liberalisation of the visa regime for its citizens."