Assessing the Planning and Implementation of the EU Rule of Law Missions: Case Study of EULEX Kosovo
Assessing the Planning and Implementation of the EU Rule of Law Missions: Case Study of EULEX Kosovo

Summary/Abstract: The European Union Rule of Law Mission Kosovo (EULEX) is one of the most ambitious and complex EU Common Security and Defence Policy engagements to date. Its planning and deployment have gone through several political and legal difficulties that have challenged the overall EU planning process and exposed some of its internal flaws. This paper assesses the planning phase of EULEX and tries to identify some of the lessons learnt. It draws from the interviews conducted in Kosovo and takes into account both the EU and the non-EU perspectives. Both structural and political challenges affected the assessed planning process and delayed the deployment of EULEX in Kosovo. Due to the various partial interests among EU institutions and member states, the technical aspects of the planning have often been subject to political compromises. The paper further notes that the CSDP missions are positioned relatively low on the agenda of the member states and may occasionally rather serve as an instrument for the EU to “wave its flag” on the occasions where the EU cannot form a unified position. The initial CSDP framework was generally intended to serve as a rather short-term instrument; thus the paper comes to the conclusion that if the EU wants to plan and conduct complex, longterm civilian CSDP missions efficiently, then the mandates and general approach of the EU should be adapted accordingly.

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