The Stabilisation and Association Agreement, SAA, with the EU has cost Kosovo customs 5 million euros in revenues.

The agreement entered in force on April 1 after being signed in October 2015. Much of it concerns scrapping customs tariffs on a range of products.

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, spoke to the members of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) about EU’s expectations and the progress in Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Turkey, and Serbia. With regards to Kosovo, Hahn noted that the next challenge is implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA).

During the last session of the parliamentary Commission for the Stabilization Association Agreement, Johannes Hahn said that the SAA is a historical step and marks contractual relations with the European Union. However, according to him, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary remain a challenge.

The EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and enlargement, Johannes Hahn, said that he has arrived in Kosovo to congratulate and celebrate Kosovo’s membership at UEFA, and entering into power of the SAA. He said that the economic perspective is very important, and it is one of the main perspectives of the country.

Tonino Picula, chairman of the European Parliamentary Committee for SAA with Kosovo, and other members of the committee met Kosovo's President, Hashim Thaci. Picula reiterated EU's strong support to Kosovo’s European agenda. “We are here today and tomorrow to ask questions about the current situation in Kosovo.

Kosovo's President, Hashim Thaci, met today with a European Parliament delegation that will participate in the EU-Kosovo meeting on the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). During the meeting, Thaci said that Kosovo will fulfill all visa liberalization requirements set by the EU, including the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities in compliance with the Constitution of Kosovo, as well as the ratification of the agreement on border-demarcation with Montenegro.

The European Union Special Representative, Samuel Zbogar, has only ten more weeks left in Kosovo. His mandate, given on 25 January 2012, by the then EU High Representative for Foreign Policies, Catherine Ashton, is due on 31 August. However, the EU Office in Kosovo was not able to give more details on who is going to inherit Zbogar’s position or if his mandate would be extended. “The news about the decision on his successor will be announced by Federica Mogherini", replied the EU information office.

Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli during a debate organized today by civil society on the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), said Kosovo needs the dialogue with others in order to achieve important agreements. “Kosovo needs a parallel dialogue with neighbors and others in order to achieve important agreements. The European agenda is a national priority for which we have a common consensus between the government and the opposition,” Veseli said.

Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, said that the Stabilization Association Agreement is both politically and economically important and it shows clearly the European perspective of Kosovo. Zbogar made these comments during a round table for the SAA. “We want functioning of the rule of law a functional assembly without compromise towards corruption. SAA will create conditions for investments. It will create new jobs,” Zbogar said. He added however that SAA is not only an economic agreement.

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said on Wednesday that the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union paves the way for a fundamental reform process in Kosovo. While speaking at a round-table on SAA"s implementation, Mustafa said the ratification of this agreement confirmed the will of the citizens of Kosovo for European integration. “I must inform you that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo has prepared and approved the National Programme for the Implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.