Introduction

Kosovo recently achieved visa-free access to the Schengen zone in Europe, marking a significant milestone in its integration with the European Union (EU) and the broader international community.

What is Schengen Area?

Definition: A zone comprising 27 European countries where internal borders have been abolished for the free movement of people.
Membership: Includes 23 of the 27 EU member states and all members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Key Features:
1. No internal border checks except in specific threat situations.
2. Harmonized controls at external borders based on defined criteria.

A geographic and economic region consisting of European Union countries that have adopted the euro as their national currency.
As of January 2023, consists of 20 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
Key Features:
1. Coordination of economic policy-making to support EU economic aims.
2. Replacement of national currencies with the euro.

EU nations must meet specific criteria, including four macroeconomic indicators:

Price Stability: Maintain sustainable price performance with average inflation no more than 1.5 percent above the rate of the three best-performing member states.
Public Finances: Maintain a budget deficit no greater than 3% of GDP and public debt no greater than 60% of GDP.
Durability of Convergence: Assessed through long-term interest rates, which cannot exceed 2 percent above the rate in the three most price-stable member states.
Exchange Rate Stability: Demonstrate stability by participating in the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) II for at least two years without severe tensions or devaluation against the euro.