OSCE Mission in Kosovo

The Mission represents the largest international civilian presence in Kosovo charged with the promotion of human rights and good governance promotion. It focuses on:

• the protection of community rights, including education, language, culture, non-discrimination and property rights;
• municipal governance reform with a view to bettering the quality of services and public participation in decision-making;
• rule of law and human rights monitoring within the municipalities, courts and the police;
• support to and further development of independent institutions working with human rights, rule of law and election;
• co-ordinating anti-trafficking efforts;
• enhancing Assembly procedures and the oversight role over the executive, as well as all the communities' participation therein;
• further development of security and public safety, including the police, customs, correctional services , and fire and rescue brigades; and
• strengthening print and broadcast media regulators.

The Mission also supports the work of the human rights units in Kosovo's ministries and has helped to establish such units in municipalities.
The Mission mandate was defined by the OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 305 from 1 July 1999. The decision gave the Mission an initial one-year mandate. In its Decision No. 382, on 20 November 2000, the Permanent Council decided to extend the mandate of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for one year until 10 December 2001.

Subsequent prolongations were decided at

- 372nd PC Meeting, PC.DEC/449, 10 December 2001: until 31 December 2002;
- 426th PC Meeting, PC.DEC/515, 12 December 2002: until 31 December 2003;
- 488th PC Meeting, PC.DEC/584, 18 December 2003: until 31 December 2004;
- 538th PC Meeting, PC.DEC/646, 16 December 2004: until 31 December 2005;
- 580th PC Meeting, PC.DEC/693, 17 November 2005: until 31 December 2006;
- 642th PC Meeting, PC.DEC/765, 14 December 2006: until 31 December 2007;
- 694th PC Meeting, PC.DEC/835, 21 December 2007: until 31 January 2008*.

*After this the Mission's mandate is extended at the end of every month for a one month period unless one of the Participating States objects in writing to the Chairperson of the Permanent Council.