Launching the spatial planning legal framework assessment

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (MESPI), has launched a comprehensive assessment of the spatial planning legislative framework. This moment marks a key milestone in the ongoing assessment process that will inform the drafting of the new Law on Spatial Planning and strengthen planning governance at both central and municipal levels.

While the current legal framework remains relevant, implementation experience over the past decade has revealed persistent challenges, including limited inter-institutional coordination, municipal capacity constraints, weaknesses in enforcement and compliance, and procedural and operational inconsistencies. In response, Ministry has initiated a legislative revision process aimed at strengthening planning instruments, improving implementation mechanisms, and aligning the system with European planning practices. To ensure that the reform is grounded in evidence and implementation realities, GIZ is supporting MESPI in conducting a comprehensive assessment, led by international expertise, of the existing framework and proposed legislative changes. The assessment will evaluate the practical functioning of the spatial planning system and identify targeted improvements to inform the drafting of the new law.

Inclusive and evidence-based process

The assessment is being conducted through an inclusive and participatory process involving national institutions, municipalities, professional chambers/associations, academia, civil society, and the private sector. 

During the past week, a five-day field mission of the international expertise commenced with kick-off meetings with MESPI, namely the Division of Spatial Planning and the Institute of Spatial Planning, to align the scope and methodology of the assessment. Stakeholder engagement activities ensured broad participation from key spatial planning actors and included: a municipal workshop organized in cooperation with the Association of Kosovo Municipalities; a multi-stakeholder workshop bringing together central and local institutions, private sector representatives, academia, and civil society organizations; targeted sectoral meetings addressing cross-cutting issues such as renewable energy development, agricultural land protection, and cultural heritage within spatial planning; and meetings with municipal leadership and urbanism departments to discuss implementation challenges and local planning realities.

The engagement and participation of these stakeholders will ensure that the assessment reflects real implementation conditions and institutional practice while incorporating the perspectives of all key actors. The process will generate evidence to inform reform decisions, strengthen institutional coordination, and support municipalities in the effective implementation of spatial planning instruments.

Supporting sustainable and climate-sensitive development

Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), GIZ is supporting Kosovo’s efforts to strengthen spatial planning as a key instrument for climate-sensitive urban development, sustainable land management, and resilient infrastructure planning. By reinforcing the legal and institutional framework and aligning it with European standards, the assessment will inform the development of the new Law on Spatial Planning and provide a roadmap for improving implementation mechanisms and strengthening governance.

This process aims to establish a planning system that is transparent, enforceable, and responsive to Kosovo’s social, economic, and environmental priorities, contributing to more effective territorial governance and sustainable development.