Abstract
[From the introduction] The foregoing summary of current events indicates the complexity of the situation the
EU is dealing with on the Balkans. Currently, it seems that, apart from Croatia and
partly Montenegro and Macedonia, the countries are still far away from any
meaningful prospects regarding European integration. A detailed overview of all of
the intricacies and activities of the European Union’s foreign policy in the Western
Balkans is beyond the scope of this paper. Instead, the following discussion addresses
the main institutional and legal issues with regard to the process of integration for the
countries of the Western Balkans. This process, the Stabilization and Association Process (SAP), is a precondition to enlargement procedures. In the light of the current events, the final part addresses the particularities of the role foreseen for the EU in
Kosovo.