The EU-facilitated dialogue aims for the parties to achieve a comprehensive legally-binding agreement addressing all outstanding issues in order for Kosovo and Serbia to progress on their European paths, create new opportunities and improve the lives of the people. An agreement between the Parties is beneficial also to the security, stability and prosperity of the entire region.

The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission Josep Borrell confirmed his resolve and personal engagement as facilitator with the support of EU Member States. Demonstrating the renewed commitment to the Western Balkans and giving new political impetus to the process, the Council of the European Union appointed Mr Miroslav Lajčák as EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues. The mandate of the new EU Special Representative is to achieve comprehensive normalisation of the relations between Belgrade and Pristina, improve good neighbourly relations and reconciliation between partners in the Western Balkans, helping them overcome the legacy of the past, enhance the EU’s visibility and effectiveness through public diplomacy, and contribute to the consistency and effectiveness of EU action in the Western Balkans.

EEAS Councillor Robert Cooper initially facilitated the dialogue at senior officials' level from March 2011 to March 2012. From October 2012 the Dialogue was facilitated at high political level by the EU  High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission. EU High Representative/Vice-President Catherine Ashton facilitated the Dialogue from October 2012 and Federica Mogherini from November 2014.

The dialogue was launched following the adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution 64/298 (2010): “[The General Assembly] welcomes the  readiness  of  the  European  Union  to  facilitate  a  process  of  dialogue between the parties; the process of dialogue in itself would be a factor for peace,  security and  stability in  the  region,  and  that  dialogue  would  be  to  promote  cooperation,  achieve  progress  on  the  path  to  the  European  Union  and  improve  the  lives of the people”. In this spirit the EU also continues to work closely with other international stakeholders.