Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo discusses SEPA integration and EU-aligned regulatory reforms with the EU Office in Kosovo

The Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo (BQK) reported a meeting between Governor Ahmet Ismaili and Hubert Perr, the newly appointed Head of Cooperation at the European Union Office in Kosovo, focused on the central bank’s reform agenda and priorities for deeper institutional cooperation to support alignment with European Union legislation, supervisory expectations and operational practices. The update highlighted progress toward Kosovo’s integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), alongside new legal challenges, and covered ongoing work on supervisory reforms, strengthening financial and monetary sovereignty, and combating euro counterfeiting. Legislative priorities included a new Law on Banks, the need to resubmit the Law on Payment Services, and an updated anti-money laundering law, alongside work on regulating and monitoring crypto-assets in line with evolving European approaches. The parties also discussed expanding cooperation via the TAIEX programme to build technical expertise, supervisory capacity and regulatory harmonisation, noting work completed last year under a TAIEX project to prepare the legal and institutional basis for anti-counterfeiting measures. Ismaili also briefed Perr on BQK’s engagement in the EU Growth Plan, subject to parliamentary approval, and on its activities related to the Green Card System, emphasising the need for a sustainable solution to support cross-border insurance coverage and mobility. The EU Office reaffirmed continued support through ongoing cooperation, technical assistance and alignment with European standards.