Kosovo–European Union relations

BRUSSELS - EU foreign policy and security chief Federica Mogherini met with Kosovo FM Bedzet Pacoli on Friday during his first-ever visit to Brussels to discuss the EU integration agenda of Kosovo, visa liberalisation and the EU-facilitated dialogue with Belgrade.

BRUSSELS - Kosovo Deputy PM Bedzet Pacoli will be visiting Brussels at the end of the week to speak with EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn and foreign policy and security chief Federica Mogherini.

Tanjug's sources in the European Commission say the meetings would mostly focus on the EU's relations with Kosovo, visa liberalisation and the dialogue with Belgrade.

Europe should be more open to the Western Balkans and should rapidly integrate Romania and Bulgaria into the passport-free Schengen Agreement, European Commission Chief Jean Claude Juncker told the European Parliament on Wednesday during his third annual State of the European Union Speech.

After meeting the Presidents of Kosovo and Serbia, Hashim Thaçi and Aleksandar Vucic, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said both sides had promised to implement an EU-mediated deal on justice.

BRUSSELS - A draft resolution on Serbia that is expected to be passed by the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week notes the progress the country has made in economic reforms, regional cooperation and EU membership talks.

Slovene centre-left MEP Tanja Fajon has added to the chorus of international voices urging Kosovo to get on with ratifying a controversial border deal with Montenegro.

First Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic will on Monday visit Brussels, the Serbian government has announced.

Dacic will meet with EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.

PRISTINA - The EU believes solving open issues with Belgrade through a normalisation of relations - defined as "visible and sustainable improvement of relations aimed at improving the lives of people" - is in Pristina's interest, says Nataliya Apostolova, head of the EU Office in Kosovo and the EU special representative.

BRUSSELS - Kosovo has the capacity to move forward in EU integration, but it faces numerous challenges in combating organised crime and corruption and establishing the rule of law, the European Commission (EC) annual report on Kosovo presented in Brussels on Wednesday says.