Integrated Border Management in Kosovo: Challenges to Free Movement and Employment-Related Mobility

Kosovo has established a stable legal system and comprehensive legal framework supplemented by strategic documents that govern the management of state borders. Nevertheless, the state has faced consistent challenges around fundamental border management, particularly regarding the implementation of Integrated Border Management (IBM) agreements. Serbia’s continued non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence provides an important political context for understanding the challenges surrounding the implementation of the new state’s IBM agreements. Kosovo has undergone a lengthy dialogue process in its relations with Serbia, which has produced a series of agreements intended to be implemented by both parties since 2011, particularly regarding the IBM process. One of the most significant of these agreements is the 2011 IBM Agreement. However, Serbia has frequently failed to implement key provisions of the Agreement and its successors. Meanwhile, the border between Kosovo and Serbia has remained a source of tension, creating both legal and practical obstacles that hinder the freedom of movement of Kosovo’s citizens. The significant delays at border crossing points may adversely affect employment-related mobility, affecting members of the Kosovo diaspora employed in foreign labor markets. This paper clarifies the processes related to border management in Kosovo and the IBM system, as well as the persistent challenges faced by Kosovo’s citizens at border crossing points with Serbia. It identifies these issues as a distinct IBM concern that are exacerbated by Serbia’s failure to implement agreements, resulting in frequent security concerns. The study sheds light on the IBM-related obstacles hindering citizens’ freedom of movement and employment-related mobility and how they reflect the ongoing tensions between these neighboring states.