Rehn calls for "conditions to be met"

European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn says progress in the EU enlargement process “depends on fulfilling conditions". “This is not a process that is led based on a calendar, but in which progress depends on full completion of clearly defined conditions,” Rehn said in an interview with daily Vecernje Novosti, asked whether it was true he "gave a signal" to the new Serbian government to apply for EU candidate status in October. Rehn calls for "conditions to be met" He said that the key condition for progress towards candidate status will be a firm confirmation of the completion of the Stabilization and Association Agreement trade regulations. “But, in order for the agreement to be implemented, Serbia needs to have full cooperation with the international court in The Hague. We are calling on the new government to continue to improve the positive development of the situation and to take all necessary steps towards achieving this condition,” Rehn said. He said that "the road to Europe is open to Serbia", and that the EU "has always seen Serbia’s European integrations and the status of Kosovo as two separate and parallel processes". “The European commission welcomes and supports the report of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for the reconfiguration of the international presence in Kosovo. We are eagerly awaiting to work with the UN secretary-general’s special envoy Lamberto Zannier on reaching the needed agreement with the goal of deploying the EU civil mission for administering the crisis in Kosovo,” Rehn said. Asked why the Socialists (SPS) have suddenly become acceptable as part of the Serbian government for the EU, he said that "what is important now is the program of the government and its implementation". “We need action, not only action plans. We will appraise the new Serbian government based on its actions,” he explained. The EU commissioner also said the removal of the visa regime imposed by Brussels now depended on Serbia, adding that the key to this will be the quick distribution of the new passports and securing border safety. “The ball is now in Serbia’s court. The European Commission confirmed the road map in order to direct work towards fulfilling of the conditions, for example, securing the borders and documents. I am certain that the Serbian government has god capacities for uninterrupted progress in this sense,” Rehn said.

Rehn calls for "conditions to be met"

He said that the key condition for progress towards candidate status will be a firm confirmation of the completion of the Stabilization and Association Agreement trade regulations.

“But, in order for the agreement to be implemented, Serbia needs to have full cooperation with the international court in The Hague. We are calling on the new government to continue to improve the positive development of the situation and to take all necessary steps towards achieving this condition,” Rehn said.

He said that "the road to Europe is open to Serbia", and that the EU "has always seen Serbia’s European integrations and the status of Kosovo as two separate and parallel processes".

“The European commission welcomes and supports the report of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for the reconfiguration of the international presence in Kosovo. We are eagerly awaiting to work with the UN secretary-general’s special envoy Lamberto Zannier on reaching the needed agreement with the goal of deploying the EU civil mission for administering the crisis in Kosovo,” Rehn said.

Asked why the Socialists (SPS) have suddenly become acceptable as part of the Serbian government for the EU, he said that "what is important now is the program of the government and its implementation".

“We need action, not only action plans. We will appraise the new Serbian government based on its actions,” he explained.

The EU commissioner also said the removal of the visa regime imposed by Brussels now depended on Serbia, adding that the key to this will be the quick distribution of the new passports and securing border safety.

“The ball is now in Serbia’s court. The European Commission confirmed the road map in order to direct work towards fulfilling of the conditions, for example, securing the borders and documents. I am certain that the Serbian government has god capacities for uninterrupted progress in this sense,” Rehn said.