The European Union Office in Kosovo and the Ministry of Trade and Industry held a press conference on the project “Assistance for implementing the Stabilization and Association Agreement, EU Directive on Services”.
On this occasion, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Faton Thaçi, told the participants that Kosovo is going through several processes on its path towards integration into the European Union.
Deputy Minister Thaci pointed out that the free movement on service is one of among four fundamental freedoms in the European Union (together with the free movement of goods, people and capital).
"Therefore, the implementation of the free movement on services – the Directive on Services derives as an obligation for the Republic of Kosovo (our country) from the Stabilization and Association Agreement, as in Article 58 of this agreement obliges Kosovo to consider and regulate free movement of services within five years. I am honored today to address you in regard to the end of the EU-funded project "Assistance for the Implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement – EU Directive on Services ". As you may know, the overall objective of this project was to facilitate the implementation of the SAA by supporting the harmonization and implementation of Kosovo national legislation with EU legislation in the field of services. This means that the project has transposed one of the most sensitive parts of EU legislation – the Directive on Services in the national legal system, “said Thaci.
He further added that the objective of the Directive on Services is to achieve progress towards a fair internal market for services so that in the wider sector of the European economy, both businesses and consumers could use maximally this possibility.
Thus supporting development of internal market on services, the Directive will help Kosovo to develop service potential sectors in terms of economic growth and job creation of this services in Kosovo and in the region. For this reason, the Directive on Services is the key of any economic reform process. Moreover, through the administrative simplification procedures, the Directive also represents a continuation of the Guillotine preliminary project activities, and is essential for other national measures to create a favorable business environment and improve the investment climate in Kosovo, in the other side reduces the administrative burden for businesses in the service sector, "said Deputy Minister Thaçi.
According to him, the most important part of the project was to review sectoral legislation, which regulates access to individual services and their activity.
"The benefits of this review are enormous. This has led to the review of legislation and the preparation of the Action Plan for legislative amendments in order to achieve full benefits from the implementation of the EU Directive on Services. What makes me particularly proud is that all key results achieved since May 2016 are not just the work of a single ministry – MTI, but in fact are the result of coordination and cooperation between nearly all line ministries, a number senior agencies and other bodies at central and local level, including professional associations in the service sector, " pointed out Mr. Thaci.
The Deputy Minister has emphasized that the Kosovo administration is capable of coordinating and delivering results expected during the SAA implementation process.
"This project was a real test for the upcoming process towards membership and provides a very precious lesson learned from the Kosovo Administration. This experience is also one of the most important and lasting results of the project. Also, I would like to thank you all who are today with us, and we have the opportunity to present our recent achievements, as well as the efforts made in the SAA implementation process during this period. Special thanks goes to the EU Office in Kosovo for the support given to MTI in implementing such important tasks, and I believe in our productive cooperation as part of other EU funded programs, "concluded Deputy Minister Thaçi.
Meanwhile, Luigi Brusa, Head of the Sector for Cooperation from the European Union Office in Kosovo, during the discussion in regard to the project "Assistance for the Implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, EU Directive on Services " said that the legislation prepared by the Kosovo part aims to enable economic operators to increase their market shares in the European Union markets.