Kosova: EC Considers Implementation of Agreements as Key Element of Serbia’s Accession Process
In its annual report on candidates and potential candidates, the European Commission highlighted how Serbia must improve its relations with Kosova, working towards full normalization, if it wants the accession procedure to continue. In particular, Commissioner Stefan Fule emphasized that all aspects of the Belgrade-Prishtina agreement must be implemented. Some MEPs have in the past questioned whether Serbia can join the EU until it has recognized Kosova.
Photo courtesy of: European External Action Service @flickr
Below is an excerpt of an article published by Bloomberg:
Serbia needs to improve relations with Kosovo and uphold the rule of law as “crucial” steps in further negotiations on joining the European Union, the bloc’s executive arm said today [8 October 2014].
The biggest former Yugoslav republic should implement “in good faith” all agreements reached with Kosovo, its breakaway province, for the accession talks to “proceed smoothly,” the European Commission said in its annual progress report on countries aspiring to join the 28-member bloc.
“A new momentum needs to be generated to tackle key outstanding issues and open a new phase in the normalization process,” Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule told European Parliament’s foreign policy committee. “This is the key for European Union accession negotiations to continue smoothly. In these efforts, Serbia can count on EU support and solidarity.”
Serbia “sufficiently meets the political criteria,” and the government should continue to focus on “the rule of law, full exercise of freedom of expression, public administration reform and economic governance,” the EU said in the report. Changing the constitution in the initial stages of membership talks would “represent decisive progress in the accession negotiations.”
EU Alignment
Serbia formally opened EU accession talks on Jan. 21 and is still waiting to start talks under the first of 35 policy chapters. Premier Aleksandar Vucic’s six-month-old administration is trying to keep the nation on its path to the EU while maintaining close political and economic ties with Russia, its main political ally in preventing full international recognition of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.
“Serbia needs to step up its efforts toward alignment” with the EU especially “in the fields of energy – including on the South Stream gas pipeline, environment, climate change, state aid, health and social protection system and asylum policies,” the report said. In the foreign and security policy area, Serbia needs to “progressively align its policies and positions with the EU ones, in the period up to accession.”
All EU hopefuls face a long way to full membership. Johannes Hahn, the nominee to become the EU’s enlargement commissioner, said on Sept. 30 that no further enlargement would take place through 2019.
Fule, who is ending a five-year mandate as enlargement commissioner, said that the European Union’s enlargement policy has become “the top external policy instrument.”
