Business registrations fall 36.2% in Kosovo, August marks the year’s lowest level

The pace of business registrations in Kosovo slowed sharply in August, when the number of new enterprises fell to 1,010. The data show this is the largest monthly decline of the year, while 5.4 percent fewer businesses were registered than in August of last year.

The registration of new enterprises in Kosovo marked a significant decline in August 2026, both compared with the previous month and with the same period last year. According to data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS), published in the Statistical Business Register, 1,010 new enterprises were registered during August, while 84 enterprises were extinguished.

Compared with July, when 1,583 enterprises were registered, the number of registrations fell by 36.2 percent, or 573 enterprises. Meanwhile, compared with August 2025, when 1,068 enterprises were registered, the decline is 5.4 percent, or 58 fewer enterprises.

“In August 2026, compared with the previous month, we have a 36.2% decline in registered enterprises. While compared with the same month of the previous year, we have a 5.4% decline in registered enterprises,” the KAS report states.

August is the month with the fewest newly registered enterprises during the first eight months of 2026. In the monthly series presented by KAS, August’s level is lower than most months of last year as well, with November 2025 at 919 registrations and December 2025 at 1,000.

After July’s peak, registrations have been in continuous decline in recent months. In March, 1,339 enterprises were registered, in April 1,124, in May 1,108, in June 1,092 and in August 1,010.

KAS data show that the newly registered enterprises in August are almost entirely micro-enterprises. Of the 1,010 registered enterprises, 1,003, or 99.3 percent, have between zero and nine employees. Only seven enterprises, or 0.7 percent of the total, were classified as small enterprises, with 10 to 49 employees. In August, no medium-sized enterprise (50 to 249 employees) or large enterprise (250 or more employees) was registered.

By legal form, limited liability companies make up the largest share, with 70.4 percent of registrations, while individual businesses account for 29.11 percent. Foreign companies make up only 0.5 percent of registrations, and no joint-stock company was registered this month.

By economic sector, the largest number of new enterprises was registered in wholesale and retail trade, as well as the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, with 207 enterprises, or 20.5 percent of the total. It is followed by information and communication, with 113 enterprises, or 11.2 percent, while professional, scientific and technical activities account for 109 enterprises, or 10.8 percent.

According to KAS data, the manufacturing industry’s share of August registrations fell below 10 percent, from over 13 percent in August of last year. Agriculture also fell below 1 percent of registrations, from over 5 percent a year earlier. On the other hand, the information and communication sector has increased its share of new enterprises compared with August 2025.

New registrations remain concentrated mainly in the Pristina region. In this region, 463 enterprises were registered in August, accounting for 45.8 percent of the total. Pristina is followed by the Prizren region with 124 enterprises, Mitrovica with 93, Ferizaj with 90, Peja with 88, Gjakova with 82 and Gjilani with 70 enterprises.

At the same time, the number of extinguished enterprises was 84 in August, compared with 109 in July and 90 in August 2025.