"Too soon for white Schengen speculation"

EU enlargement official Pierre Mirel says that all speculation about which country would enter the white Schengen list, and when, was "premature". The European Commission first of all wanted to prepare well-founded reports on West Balkan progress in the process, he said in Belgrade on Tuesday. "Too soon for white Schengen speculation" The decision on further visa liberalization will depend on how much each country meets the requirements, Mirel told a news conference after a session of the Permanent Improved Dialog between the EU and Serbia. Mirel, director of the West Balkan Directorate at the EU General Directorate for Enlargement, stressed that the European Commission had not completed its evaluation and that it had to clarify some other issues with several countries included in the visa liberalization process. Bozidar Djelic, Serbian deputy prime minister for European integration, said after the meeting that Serbian authorities were already working with European Commission experts toward meeting the conditions for visa liberalization and that the job was well on the way to being completed. Mirel stated that Serbia had achieved considerable progress in reform necessary for entry into the EU, but that much remained to be done, which, he said, was normal. The European official particularly welcomed the adoption of the national strategy for European integration, a legislation package on reforming the judiciary and laws against discrimination, stressing that enforcement of the adopted laws had to be ensured.

"Too soon for white Schengen speculation"

The decision on further visa liberalization will depend on how much each country meets the requirements, Mirel told a news conference after a session of the Permanent Improved Dialog between the EU and Serbia.

Mirel, director of the West Balkan Directorate at the EU General Directorate for Enlargement, stressed that the European Commission had not completed its evaluation and that it had to clarify some other issues with several countries included in the visa liberalization process.

Božidar Đelić, Serbian deputy prime minister for European integration, said after the meeting that Serbian authorities were already working with European Commission experts toward meeting the conditions for visa liberalization and that the job was well on the way to being completed.

Mirel stated that Serbia had achieved considerable progress in reform necessary for entry into the EU, but that much remained to be done, which, he said, was normal.

The European official particularly welcomed the adoption of the national strategy for European integration, a legislation package on reforming the judiciary and laws against discrimination, stressing that enforcement of the adopted laws had to be ensured.