EULEX Kosovo: new role for the EU rule of law mission

Met dank overgenomen van Bulgaars voorzitterschap Europese Unie 1e helft 2018 (Bulgaars voorzitterschap) i, gepubliceerd op vrijdag 8 juni 2018.

On 8 June 2018, the Council decided to refocus the mandate of the EU rule of law mission EULEX Kosovo. The mission, established 10 years ago, has had two operational objectives: a monitoring, mentoring and advising objective, providing support to Kosovo’s rule of law institutions and to the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, and an executive objective, supporting the adjudication of constitutional and civil justice and prosecuting and adjudicating selected criminal cases.

Today's decision brings the judicial executive part of the mission's mandate in Kosovo to an end: Kosovo will assume responsibility for all transferred investigations, prosecutions and trials.

As of 14 June, the mission will concentrate on:

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    monitoring selected cases and trials in Kosovo's criminal and civil justice institutions
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    monitoring, mentoring and advising the Kosovo correctional service
  • - 
    continuing its operational support for the implementation of EU-facilitated dialogue agreements for the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

The mission will retain certain limited executive responsibilities in the areas of witness protection and support for the specialist chambers and the specialist prosecutor’s office, as well as responsibility for ensuring the maintenance and promotion of security as second security responder.

Read the full press release here.

Visit the meeting the page on the website of the Council of the European Union.