News
- HAPE Reviews Progress and Sets Priorities for Its Final Phase
Pristina, 3 September 2026: The 11th Steering Committee Meeting of the EU-funded Home Affairs Programme in Kosovo (HAPE) brought together representatives of the EU Office in Kosovo, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Special Prosecution Office, Kosovo Police and other partner institutions.
The meeting reviewed the results achieved during the first 40 months of the programme and agreed on the main priorities for its final phase, which will run until June 2027.
HAPE has supported Kosovo institutions in areas including specialised investigations, forensic science, border management, organised crime, anti-corruption and international police cooperation. Key achievements include training for police officers in undercover operations, surveillance techniques, digital forensics, fingerprint identification, drone operations, Artificial Intelligence.
The programme has also strengthened the Kosovo Forensic Agency through specialised training, new operating procedures and improved DNA-processing capabilities. Support for legal drafting, administrative procedures and professional training has further contributed to stronger institutional capacity within the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kosovo Police.
HAPE has supported four Joint Investigation Teams and nine police operations, helping Kosovo law/enforcement institutions cooperate more effectively in complex and transnational criminal cases.
During the final phase, the programme will focus on database interoperability, integrity, Strategy against Organised Crime, specialised training on corruption, money laundering, financial crime and cybercrime and the fight against currency counterfeiting, as well as operational support for Joint Investigation Teams, drone units and critical/infrastructure protection. The Steering Committee confirmed the shared commitment of Kosovo institutions, the European Union and HAPE partners to achieving lasting and practical results in the home affairs and rule-of-law sectors.