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Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). In 2008, the ECLO has
taken over the Community Assistance for Reconstruction,
Development and Stability (CARDS) programmes
from the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR).
Since the year 2000, the CARDS programme has run
more than 1,600 contracts ranging in value from €5,000
to €50 million. Currently, in 2008, 150 contracts are still
open and now being run by the ECLO.
The CARDS programme, whose aim was democratic
stabilisation, social and economic development,
institution building and good governance, is now
being replaced with the IPA. Kosovo will benefit from
two components of this EU initiative: the ‘Institution
Building and Transition Support’ and the ‘Cross-Border
Cooperation’. For the funding period 2007-2011,
the EU has earmarked more than €400 million under
these components and will offer more aid per capita to
Kosovo than any other place in the world over the next
three years.
This targeted assistance falls under the wider EU
framework for the Western Balkans called the Stabilisation
and Association Process (SAP). SAP has been
established to confirm the EU belief that the whole
Western Balkans has a European perspective and to
create a mechanism under which all participants to the
process can pass through a transparent and standardised
set of benchmarks at their own rate of progress.
This process also monitors and encourages convergence
with EU practices, standards and norms on a range of
issues both political and economic. It also aims to have
a specific influence on critical areas of reform such as
transport, the environment and agriculture.
However, Kosovo is at the beginning of this journey.
Although the Thessaloniki Summit of June 2003 formally
recognised that Kosovo has a European perspective, the
country still has to embark on a process of political,
legal and institutional transformation to achieve this
end goal. According to Renzo Daviddi, Head of the
ECLO, “I guess the main challenge Kosovo now faces
is how to build up institutions and how to make the
transformation from the embryonic stage to a more
adult stage.” However, the country has also made great
strides. “I think the legal framework for a number of
reasons, including the fact that there has been a large
international community presence, perhaps is more
advanced than other countries in the region. This is an
area where Kosovo has a large advantage compared to
other countries looking for EU accession,” adds Renzo
Daviddi.
Renzo Daviddi, Head of European Commission Liaison Office
Kosovo is now working in partnership with the
EU to take the necessary steps to enact these
transformations. Under the Stabilisation and
Association Process Tracking Mechanism (STM),
enshrined in the Thessaloniki Summit, the EU
can monitor and help Kosovo progress within
SAP at its own pace. Likewise, Kosovo itself has
also set up mechanisms to make sure domestic
reform is aligned with the goals of EU accession.
Indeed, the Kosovo authorities established the
European Partnership Action Plan (EPAP) which
creates a framework and concrete policies for the
creation and prosecution of legislation and the
establishment of institutional structures in line
with European requirements. In practical terms,
these partnerships and associations will help track
and implement measures on a number of issues
including human and minority rights, freedom
of movement and goods, public procurement,
intellectual property law, customs and taxation,
education and research and agriculture and
fisheries policy.
Therefore, although there is some way to go,
Kosovo has already made giant strides towards
convergence with European norms and EU
accession. Indeed, as the EU has offered a
guiding hand at the very conception of the
country, Kosovo is well placed to establish itself as
a leading protagonist and advocate of European
values and governance.
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