The specific terms and conditions for the participation of Kosovo in each particular programme will be determined by a Memorandum of Understanding to be agreed by the European Commission and Kosovo.

Other countries that are part of the European Union’s Stabilisation and Association Process already have such agreements in place.

Background

The proposal to allow Kosovo to participate in EU programmes was made in the Commission Communication ‘Kosovo – Fulfilling its European Perspective’, issued in October 2009. The European Commission proposed negotiating directives in March 2011. The Foreign Affairs Council adopted the proposal for negotiating directives on 22 October 2012. The General Affairs Council of 11 December 2012 welcomed the European Commission’s on-going efforts to negotiate a Framework Agreement with Kosovo concerning its participation in Union programmes and its intention to come back to the Council in the first half of 2013. Kosovo confirmed its agreement with the draft Framework Agreement in writing on 16 January 2013.