Policy Memo: Kosovo should become an Observer Member in the European Migration Network (EMN)

Bringing the European Union and the Western Balkans closer through operational integration is a practical way to boost cooperation and help the region get ready for future EU membership. Instead of focusing solely on the lengthy and complex enlargement process, operational integration encourages Western Balkan countries to join EU policy frameworks, expert groups, and technical cooperation efforts. Migration governance represents one of the most promising areas for such integration. The European Migration Network (EMN), the EU’s primary knowledge and analysis platform on migration and asylum policies, offers a structured framework for evidence-based policy exchange among EU Member States and selected observer countries.

This memo recommends that Kosovo join the European Migration Network as an observer. This would be a practical move toward closer integration with the EU. By joining the EMN, Kosovo could build stronger institutions for evidence-based policymaking, share information with EU Member States, and improve regional cooperation on migration issues.

Kosovo has already developed institutional mechanisms that could support participation in the EMN, particularly the Government Authority on Migration (GAM), an inter-institutional coordination platform responsible for migration policy analysis and monitoring. Recent reforms have strengthened Kosovo’s migration governance framework, including improved data coordination and inter-institutional cooperation.

At the same time, Kosovo has demonstrated its capacity to contribute to European migration policy dialogue. A recent example is the development of Kosovo’s migration contingency planning framework, based on methodologies developed by the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA) and Frontex, and subsequently shared with regional partners by Kosovo experts.

Giving Kosovo observer status in the EMN would benefit both Kosovo and the EU. For Kosovo, it would help align its policies with EU standards and get its institutions ready for future membership. For the EU, it would improve understanding of the region and strengthen cooperation with a key partner in migration management.

Some legal and political issues regarding Kosovo’s status may require attention, but examples in EU networks show that practical solutions can be found. Creating a clear path for Kosovo to become an EMN observer would be a realistic and achievable step toward closer integration.