The international community no longer wishes to govern Kosovo, said senior EU official in Kosovo Torbjorn Sohlstrom.
Kosovo has been under UN administration since 1999 after NATO air raids stopped an armed conflict between Serbian troops and Albanian rebels.
The majority Albanian population wants Kosovo to be independent, but Belgrade wishes to retain some control over what it says is a crucial part of Serbia.
The EU plans to have a 1,300-strong mission comprising mostly police who will supervise and help the local police. They will also deal with organised crime, corruption and ethnic violence, said Casper Klynge, who heads an EU planning team for Kosovo.