KSV/019
Technical Assistance in the Context of European Integration of Kosovo

Latest news

• KOSOVO - Human Capacity Development Facility (HCDF)

  Published on 26 December 2019    By Vjosa Morina   

  In the framework of their donor assistance programmes, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Norway are supporting the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to meet the requirements of the Stability and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union (EU).

  As the implementation of the Facility has been delegated to the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, the Ministry of European Integration (MEI), is appointed to implement the Facility in the name of the Government. HCDF brought together all line ministries, national-level institutions and agencies that are involved in implementing the EU law in Kosovo.

  In order to meet its SAA obligations, Kosovo needs to engage in further democratic reforms, achieve social and economic development, and progressively align with EU legislation and standards, so that it is able to fully implement the EU acquis upon accession. These beneficiary institutions have all committed to use HCDF as an added value and tool to achieve their institution’s goals towards fulfilling their obligations deriving from the SAA.

  

  Starting from specific trainings of different departments and agencies, to technical assistance in writing legislation that Kosovo has had no previous experience on, HCDF is supporting the increase of capacities of all officials involved in 18 EU Aquis Chapters, on Public Administration Reform and communication efforts on the implementation of the SAA.

  The main coordinating institution, MEI, together with the beneficiary institutions have planned all activities to be implemented throughout 2019.

  HCDF has already started with some activities which affect the horizontal theme on Public Administration Reform, EU Chapter Aquis on Judiciary and fundamental rights, Intellectual property law, while the other planned activities will be implemented until the end of year. In parallel, MEI and beneficiary institutions are planning the activities for the next year of HCDF.

• KOSOVO - The Kosovo Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) celebrates its third anniversary.

  Published on 16 May 2019    By Vjosa Morina   

  The European perspective of Kosovo was confirmed by the signing of the SAA. Stabilisation and Association agreements are part of the EU’s “Stabilisation and Association Process” (SAP) and ”European Neighbourhood Policy” (ENP). The SAA’s main aim is to facilitate the gradual approximation and integration of the country with the European Union. For this, it covers all key criteria that Kosovo needs to achieve in order to become a member of the EU:

  • being a functioning political democracy and the rule of law;
  • having a competitive economy able to withstand the competitive pressures of the EU Single Market and having the ability to fulfil the obligations of membership – i.e. the implementation of EU law - “acquis communautaire” – in Kosovo.

  The depth of the policy harmonization expected by SAA is less than for EU member states; some policy areas in the Acquis may not be covered.

  This April, the Kosovo SAA marked its third anniversary, and HCDF staff was part of the event that brought together a panel of the Prime Minister of Kosovo Mr. Ramush Haradinaj, Head of EU Office Ms. Nataliya Apostolova and the Ambassador of Finland Ms. Pia Stjernvall.

  Mr. Haradinaj once again confirmed that Kosovo’s was resolutely committed to EU integration and the SAA defined the work that the institutions needed to accomplish in order to fullfill the criteria and standards for Kosovo to achieve accession.

  Ms. Apostolova emphasized that the SAA was the biggest investment in the future of Kosovo and it should be of high priority to all institutions and political leaders. It offered guidance for improving the work of institutions in all relevant fields and most importantly improving the lives of Kosovo citizens.

  Ms. Stjernvall said that it was important to focus in fully implementing the SAA, not only because it was required to do so but for the sake of citizens. All citizens wanted a better life for themselves and SAA offered the opportunity for a better, equal and more transparent society.

  In this regard, the Human Capacity Development Facility (HCDF), supported by the Governments of Norway and Luxembourg, will contribute to developing human capacities in Kosovo institutions to assist them in fulfilling the requirements that come from the SAA. The Facility is based within the Ministry of European Integration, as the main coordinating institutions, and focuses on the development of capacities of the line ministries and national-level institutions engaged in the implementation of the EU Law in Kosovo. Currently the HCDF is performing in-depth consultations will the beneficiary institutions, which are expected to soon result in concrete activities that institutions will implement autonomously, strengthening their human capacities in transposing and better implementing EU Law.

  

   

• KOSOVO - Air Pollution in Pristina

  Published on 30 April 2019    By Arta Hoxha   

  

  Air pollution is a critical environmental problem around the world. Many health issues, including mortality due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, lung cancer and intrauterine growth restriction (low birth weight at term), are associated with poor air quality. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2015 polluted air was responsible for 6.4 million deaths worldwide. Globally, this is greater than deaths caused by AIDS (1.2 million), tuberculosis (1.1 million) and malaria (0.7 million).

  Poor air quality remains a challenge in urban areas across Kosovo. The Air Quality Index (AQI), described in table 1, is followed by the United States Embassy in Pristina and shows that the air quality is far below the healthy breathing levels on most days during the winter season, as can be seen in figure 1. During the last two years, the AQI has reached values as high as 500, which is considered hazardous for health. The main sources of contaminants are power plant emissions, residential coal or wood burning and vehicle emissions.

  Table 1. AQI categorisations

  

  Note: To make it easier to understand, the AQI is divided into six categories as presented in this table.

  Source: United States Embassy in Pristina

  Figure 1. AQI in Pristina, 1 January 2017 – 1 April 2019

  

  Note: AQI data from 01 January 2017 – 1 March 2019

  Data Source: Environmental Protection Agency Air Now

   

  According to an analysis conducted by the World Bank in 2013, the air pollution in Kosovo is estimated to cause 852 premature deaths, 318 new cases of chronic bronchitis, 605 hospital admissions and 11,900 emergency visits each year. As reported by the same analysis, the estimated health costs of air pollution in Kosovo were between 38 and 163 million EUR a year, with a midpoint estimate of 98 million EUR, or 2.3 percent of GDP in 2010.

  During an event organized by UNICEF related to the health impact of air pollution in Pristina, Dr. Ruthus Edwards, whose research focuses on human exposure to air pollution emissions and subsequent health effects, suggested a number of measures that can be taken to reduce emissions from the household sector, which in turn would contribute to the improved air quality in Kosovo. Such measures include:

  - Expansion of district heating for central urban areas;

  - Usage of heat pumps or other zero household emission technologies;

  - Improvement of energy efficiency;

  - Transition to renewable energy sources to decrease sector emissions.

  During this event, the Minister of Health, Uran Ismaili, expressed his concerns about the health impact of air pollution in Kosovo and asked for a better coordination among local and central government units as well as international organisations to address this issue.

  Nevertheless, given the current lack of a strategic roadmap to reduce the health impact of air pollution in Kosovo by addressing the root cause of the problem, temporary solutions had to be thought of. For instance, LuxDev in Kosovo has provided its employees with N95 air pollution masks, which can reduce their exposure to the polluted air when it exceeds the healthy breathing levels and provided indoor air filters for all offices.

• Kosovo - Launch of project KSV/019

  Published on 12 June 2018    By Alessandro Gambella/Arta Hoxha   

  The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Kosovo was negotiated between October 2013 and May 2014, it was initialed in July 2014 and the EU Council agreed to its signature on 22 October 2015. It entered into force in spring 2016. The SAA establishes a contractual relationship between the EU and Kosovo that entails mutual rights and obligations. Its signature confirms Kosovo’s European perspective.

  KSV/019, launched on 5 June 2018, aims to strengthen the human resources of Kosovo’s administration in key sectors of EU legislation in a sustainable manner.  LuxDev, the Norwegian Embassy and the Ministry of European Integration (MEI) will implement a Human Capacity Development Facility (HCDF), which will provide trainings, technical assistance, in depth research of EU policies, study tours and secondements to the relevant administration personnel. In addition to the HCDF, LuxDev and the Government of Kosovo will both allocate funds to the MEI to strengthen its communication on the SAA.

  

  During the launch event, the Minister of European Integration, Dhurata Hoxha, explained the importance of such project for Kosovo’s progress towards the EU accession:  “Our institutions are committed to progress on the Stabilisation and Association agenda. The integration process requires reforms in many sectors and capacity development is a key factor in its success. In addition to capacity building for SAA implementation, through this project we are also strengthening the integration mechanisms. For our Ministry, this initiative is of special importance since for the first time the implementation is done directly by the Ministry of European Integration with the assistance of LuxDev and the Norwegian Embassy in Kosovo”.