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Significance
The EU and Kosovo signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) in 2015 but Kosovo has not taken the next step, of applying for membership, out of a well-founded fear of rejection. However, February's election has changed its calculations.
Impacts
To support its application, Prishtina could accelerate efforts in the next few months to meet various benchmarks for reform set by Brussels.
A failed application would strengthen Serbia’s position in the status debate by denying Kosovo a chance to consolidate its independence.
Kosovo’s low standard of living and high unemployment will continue to push migration to the EU.
Keywords:
EU,
Kosovo,
EUR,
Albania,
Serbia,
United States,
economy,
international relations,
politics,
social,
foreign policy,
integration,
reform,
talks,
border conflict,
corruption,
crime,
election,
ethnic,
immigration,
judicial,
prices,
regional
© Oxford Analytica 2021. All rights reserved. This content contains general information about geopolitical, macroeconomic and social developments or (where stated) other matters. It does not contain advice or recommendations that may be relied on. Where links to external websites are provided, this does not indicate that Oxford Analytica or Emerald agree with, endorse or have checked for accuracy the contents of said sites.
2021
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