De Gucht held talks with Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi, and UN civil administrator Soren Jessen-Petersen.
Rugova said decentralisation would be easier once Kosovo's independence was recognised.
De Gucht said Kosovo must continue adopting and implementing international standards so that the UN special envoy's latest report could be positive, given that it is a condition for reaching a final solution for the status of Kosovo.
De Gucht arrived in Kosovo from Belgrade, where he met top state and Serbian officials.