Preparations for the Stabilization and Association Agreement are intensified

In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mr. Hashim Thaci, stated: “I require from the respective branches of government to fully engage in fulfilling the obligations arising from the process of negotiating a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union. The process of SAA negotiations will be based on three pillars, which we should intend throughout this process: (1) time efficiency, (2) negotiations should be based on facts and statistics, and (3) accountability. We should approach based on real empirical studies. We have met a prerequisite when we issued the document entitled ‘Stabilisation and Association Agreement Impact Assessment’. Now it is important that the assessment be updated as necessary to ensure that finally we will have an agreement that will withstand time and will reflect the needs of industry and agriculture sector. ” 

Chief negotiator for the SAA negotiation, Ms. Vlora Çitaku, stated: “Within negotiation process will be held 4 meetings at the level of chief negotiators – the meetings will be held in October, November, February and May. In the meantime these meetings will be supplemented with Working Groups meetings. Negotiations will take place within three working groups: The working group on trade issues; Working Group on approximation of legislation and working group for cooperation policies. We should understand properly that deadlines will be placed in the context of the Stabilisation and Association would have binding character as part of the contractual agreement, with international character. Therefore, I invite all institutions, from the beginning of the process, to consider financial and administrative capacity when it comes to the implementation of the obligations arising from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.” 

During the meeting, responsible ministers have presented initial negotiating positions within the approximation of legislation under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in the field of free movement of capital, establishment of enterprises, state aid, competition, public enterprise, etc. These negotiating positions would have been the starting point of discussions between our teams and European Commission teams.